Deimos Swing
by Gensomaden-Saiyuki
Summary: Spike and Jet have been looking for a 'Patricia Stein' for two years now. It looks like they finally found her... oh but she's a totally changed woman. Set two years post RFB. Rated T for language and themes. Spike X Faye
1. Full Moon's Jive

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ I do not own Cowboy Bebop. If I did, Spike won't have to die. But since I don't own Cowboy Bebop, he did die. Tsk! Bummer. Also, I don't own the song _Full Moon_ by The Black Ghosts, a soundtrack from the movie 'Twilight'… and I don't own 'Twilight' either. So go sue someone else, okay? :]

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES (Read this first):**_ Hi, so this is my first fanfiction for Cowboy Bebop. I hope you'll like it though. ;]

**And by the way, just to inform you,** Deimos is one of the two satellites of Mars. The other satellite is Phobos, which is closer to Mars. Both satellites have been hypothesized by scientists that they were two asteroids captured by the gravitational pull of Mars, therefore acquiring Phobos and Deimos as its two satellites. Okie dokie? Whew! So listening to my Earth Science teacher two semesters ago really did pay off! ;D

**Oh and another thing,** the timeline of this one is in the year 2073, two years after Session 26: The Real Folk Blues, which was (sadly) the final episode of Cowboy Bebop.

_**A SUGGESTION TO AID SET UP THE MOOD FOR THIS FIC:**_ I recommend that you listen to the song _Full Moon_ by The Black Ghosts. It really sounds Cowboy Bebop-ish, and in my opinion, the song suits this chapter very well. So look it up in the internet and listen to it while reading this fic, okay? :]

**Don't forget to read and review!**

* * *

_**DEIMOS SWING**_

_**by Releina Artemis Rockefeller**_

* * *

**(Session 1: Full Moon's Jive)**

"Her name is Patricia Stein." Jet informed Spike who was putting on a white formal jacket.

_When the full moon turns white, that's when I'll come home_

_I am going out to see what I can sow._

"And I have to get dressed up for this, Jet? Fuck." Spike complained while he was trying to neat out his formal jacket.

"Spike, you wear a leisure suit everyday!" Jet pointed out, "What difference does a little more formal white Americana suit make?"

"Well, there's more to put on. There's got to be etiquette-"

"Then put on the neat stuff and the polite words and actions. Sheesh." Jet had a vein protruding out of his temple, "Anyway, so Patricia Stein. She just moved in to Deimos two years ago. She currently works as a photographer for fashion magazines in Deimos and in universally-distributed fashion magazines. Aside from that, other publishers can hire her since she's an on-call freelance photographer. She's also enlisted as an on-call freelance photographer in a universal advertisement firm, with its headquarters based in Deimos. She earns about 300,000 woolongs a month, but that's just her minimum wage. She can earn up to 400,000-900,000 woolongs a month, depending on the demands of her work. And although she's a rookie at photography, it looks like she's really on demand."

Spike reached for the white fedora hat and wore it on, "Gee, I wish I had her job. Point and click, then get an instant 300,000 woolongs for just taking pictures. So how do I look, Jet?"

"Spike-person looks like a rich man!" Edward shouted. Ein barked twice and wagged his small tail happily.

"Thanks, but I was asking Jet, Ed." Spike sighed.

"Oh. Okie dokie!" Ed then returned to fiddling with the computer.

Jet paused from reading the information of Patricia Stein and looked at Spike, "Stunning."

_And I don't know where I'll go,_

_And I don't know what I'll see,_

_But I'll try not to bring it back home with me._

Spike was wearing a pair of black shoes, white slacks, a grey vest with a white dress shirt underneath, a black tie, a white formal jacket, and a white fedora hat to match.

"That's all you can say? Stunning? Shit! I look like I'm about to marry someone!" Spike whined.

"Well, what am I supposed to say? 'Oh, that suits you well, Spike,' or would you prefer, 'Shit, Spike! You look hot!' Goddamn it. Stunning is the word, okay?" Jet shook his head in ridicule, "You're going to a high-class masquerade party, that's where Patricia Stein is! If you don't dress the part, you can't enter the party. And by the way, here's the fake invitation." Jet handed Spike an envelope.

Spike took it and placed it in an inside pocket in his jacket. He grabbed his mask, which was a simple black one. It looks like a sleeping mask but had two holes for the eyes. He removed his fedora hat and wore the mask. Then he placed his hat back on.

"We've been looking everywhere for two years for this Patricia Stein. She was in Deimos all along!" Jet said, "Well, good luck Spike. I hope we get her this time."

"Yeah, hope so." Spike went on his way to the hangar.

* * *

_Like the morning sun your eyes will follow me._

_As you watch me wander, curse the powers that be._

"Hi, I'm Patricia Stein." A woman greeted a new acquaintance in the party.

Patricia Stein had long, straight, violet hair tied up in a simple ponytail. She was wearing a simple black dress, with the skirt just about four inches below her knees. She wasn't showing any cleavage or any parts of her chest unlike the other ladies in the party. In fact, the cut of her dress only showed skin until about two inches from her collarbone downwards. If that wasn't enough, she had a white, short-sleeved bolero on. She was holding an elegant purple mask and was sporting a devil red color on her lips. She looked pretty, but looked too conservative.

"Well, hello there, Miss Stein. I'm Cornelia Holmes, I'm from Mars. Where are you from, Miss Stein?"

"Oh, I now permanently reside here in Deimos. I just moved in two years ago. I used to visit other planets to see if I can reside there, but they don't give that sense of 'home' that I was looking for, which I only found here in Deimos."

"Ah, I see. So you do frequently travel, huh?"

"I used to. Now, I don't travel much anymore. I found a stable job here in Deimos so I opted to stay here more often. But sometimes, my job demands me to travel, so I do travel."

'_Cause all I want is here and now, but it's already been and gone._

_Our intentions always last that bit too long._

Cornelia had a sip of wine and continued, "Well, I can't blame you if you decided to live here in Deimos. It's a great place. It's a strict and independent special economic zone. Life is indulgent and prosperous here. It has a reputation for its good government and extremely low crime rates. I wish Mars could become a little more like its well-off satellite."

"Hmm, I agree. Indeed, Deimos is the place to be."

"So what do you do, Miss Stein?"

"I'm a photographer." Patricia answered.

"Cornelia! What a pleasant surprise!" another woman from the party greeted Cornelia.

Cornelia turned to who called her and greeted back, "Oh! It's you! My, my, I thought you couldn't make it to this party!"

Cornelia turned to Patricia and told her, "Oh I'm sorry. I have to entertain my friend now, but it was nice meeting you, Miss Patricia Stein. Enjoy the party!"

"Of course, it was nice meeting you as well, Miss Cornelia Holmes. Now, if you'll excuse me." Patricia flashed a smile and walked in the crowd and tried to make new friends.

"Ouch! Watch it!" Patricia told a man who bumped her on her shoulder.

"Oops. Sorry there lady, I didn't see 'ya." The man replied, clad in white. It was Spike Spiegel.

Patricia sighed and brushed off her shoulder.

_Far, far away, no voices sounding, no one around me and you're still there._

"You're Patricia Stein, aren't you? I've seen the photos you took in a fashion magazine. Very nice." Spike smiled at Patricia.

Patricia looked up to him, since he was taller than she. Her eyes widened like she'd seen a ghost. She silently took a sharp, deep breath and said, "Uhm, please excuse me, sir. I have to see someone."

Patricia immediately made her way out of the crowd, leaving Spike behind.

"Well I was trying to initiate a conversation. She walked away. What do I do?" Spike told Jet via his cellphone.

"Follow her!" Jet exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, if you say so." Spike replied and pocketed his phone. He made his way out of the crowd and tried to follow Patricia, but lost sight of her.

* * *

_Far, far away, no choices passing, no time confounds me and you're still there._

Patricia was able to make it outside. She leaned on a wall and placed her mask inside her handbag. She then placed a hand over her chest. She tried to calm the fast pacing of her heart. Her eyes were still wide and she shook her head.

"_No, it can't be him. He must've been a complete look-alike."_ She told herself as she shook off the thoughts of that man clad in white.

"I think that was rather impolite of you, Miss Stein." A masculine voice surprised Patricia.

She looked at her left side and saw the same man clad in white from the party.

"You didn't even let me introduce myself. Good evening, I'm Spike Spiegel and I am a bounty hunter." Spike told her.

She gasped. If it was even humanly possible that her wide eyes have widened even more, then there it goes. The hand on her chest flew to the handle of her bag and tightened its grip on it. Patricia tried to put herself together and replied, "W-W-What do you want from me? I do not have a bounty on my head! I did not do any crime!"

"Really now?" Spike replied as he took off his fedora hat and his mask, "You know how it is here in Deimos. It's a special economic zone, a strict one at that. You couldn't reside here if you don't have some documents to show and some referral letters as well."

"Yes, I know that. That's how I got here! I showed some documents and some referral letters." Patricia turned around and started walking, "This is pointless. I shouldn't be talking to someone like you. I don't even know you! So please, if you'll excuse me-"

"Stop right there." Spike said, "Patricia Stein is not your name."

_In the full moon's light, I listen to the stream,_

_And in between the silence hear you calling me._

"What are you saying?! That **is** my name!" she turned to face him, "Just what is it that you want from me?!"

"I want you to come with me." He said in a somewhat commanding tone, "Or else."

"Or else what?"

"Do you happen to know someone named Ana Volakis?"

Patricia's eyes narrowed, "What did you do to Ana?!"

"Nothing, **yet**." Spike told her, "But I would report to the Deimos Police of what exactly happened, how you got here, and who got you here. Hmm, I might even get cash for doing that. Sounds good to me!"

Patricia bit her lower lip, "Why, you good for noth-"

"Oh, we threatened Ana a little bit. That's just enough to make her spill out everything about you, and who you **really** are." Spike shrugged.

Patricia was now getting insecure and she made one step backward.

_But I don't know where I am and I don't trust who I've been,_

…_and If I come home how will I ever leave?_

"There's no escape. Finally, after two long years… I found you now," Spike eyed her sharply, "Faye Valentine."

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Is Patricia Stein indeed Faye Valentine? How did that happen? How did Spike know that Patricia and Faye is the same person? Where did he get all the information to reach Faye? What happened to Faye after Spike disappeared two years ago?**

**Unravel the answers to these questions in…**

**Session 2: The Valentine Sonata**

"_**It's show time."**_

**- Patricia Stein**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_** So, how'd you find my first fanfic for Cowboy Bebop? Please do tell me. I'm really new to writing fanfics for Cowboy Bebop. My usual stuff is Naruto. I just wanna try this out. I didn't get enough satisfaction from the series and the movie of Cowboy Bebop. So I'm trying to cope up with that dissatisfaction by writing this fanfic and sharing it with all of you.**

**Please tell me if this was okay. Reviews are ****highly**** appreciated. I also appreciate suggestions, if you have any. ;D**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	2. The Valentine Sonata

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Stop right there." Spike said, "Patricia Stein is not your name."

"What are you saying?! That **is** my name!" she turned to face him, "Just what is it that you want from me?!"

"I want you to come with me." He said in a somewhat commanding tone, "Or else."

"Or else what?"

"Do you happen to know someone named Ana Volakis?"

Patricia's eyes narrowed, "What did you do to Ana?!"

"Nothing, **yet**." Spike told her, "But I would report to the Deimos Police of what exactly happened, how you got here, and who got you here. Hmm, I might even get cash for doing that. Sounds good to me!"

Patricia bit her lower lip, "Why, you good for noth-"

"Oh, we threatened Ana a little bit. That's just enough to make her spill out everything about you, and who you **really** are." Spike shrugged.

Patricia was now getting insecure and she made one step backward.

"There's no escape. Finally, after two long years… I found you now," Spike eyed her sharply, "Faye Valentine."

* * *

**(Session 2: The Valentine Sonata)**

Patricia's eyes widened, "W-What are you saying? I don't know who that is! That's not my name! I **am** Patricia Stein! I have documents to prove that!"

"Yeah, faked legal documents. In fact, I think it was Ana Volakis who helped you get here in Deimos. And since she's a whiz computer programmer, she was able to hack some government databases and copy formats of those legal documents." Spike shrugged.

Patricia nervously smiled and just sighed. "All right. I have no time for this nonsense. I have to go home now. It was not really a pleasure meeting you, Spike Spiegel. Just return to the party and enjoy the rest of the evening. Goodnight."

Patricia turned her back at him and grabbed her cellphone from inside her bag and pressed a number on her speed dial, "It's show time."

"Hey! Wait!" Spike ran towards Patricia. Patricia started running as well.

A sound of a speeding car was heard, as if burning its wheels on the road. Then suddenly, a black convertible car with no driver stopped at the corner where Patricia and Spike were running towards to.

"What the hell?!" Spike yelled, "Faye!"

"Voice command: speed up, straight ahead." Patricia hopped in her car and the car indeed sped up and drove on autopilot, straight ahead.

"Darn it!" Spike reached for his cellphone and talked to Jet, "She got away!"

"What do you mean she got away?" Jet replied.

"How can I, someone on foot, chase someone who's got hot wheels?!" Spike yelled.

"Get on the Swordfish then. Aircrafts are always faster than any hot cars, Spike." Jet coolly told him.

"Alright, but I parked the Swordfish too far from where I am!"

"Then hail a cab!"

"I don't even know where she went! And this is my first time in Deimos, Jet! I'm not familiar with the place! You do know that if Ed did not fake some information, we wouldn't even be here!"

"Only one thing left to do, Spike." Jet sighed, "Stop wasting your time complaining and just start running to your Swordfish."

"ARRRRGH! DARN IT!!!" Spike frustratingly pocketed his phone and started running towards the opposite direction where Patricia went.

* * *

Patricia was now holding the steering wheel of her car.

"_Is he really alive?"_ Patricia thought, _"Is Spike really alive? And why was he looking for me? It's not as if I play an important role in his life. Only Julia does. And they found Ana?"_

"Ana!" Patricia yelled, realizing something. She reached for her phone and tried to make a call.

"Ana! Ana!" Patricia worriedly told the person on the other line, "Ana are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. How about you Trish? Are you okay?" Ana replied.

"I'm okay for now. I'm sort of running away from a guy. A guy whom I thought was supposed to be dead! That guy told me that he and his company threatened you in order for you to spill some information about me. What did they do to you?"

Ana answered, "Well, they came in my house two days ago. So they were knocking on my door, I opened the door, they asked my name, I told them my name, then they just asked me if they could enter my house, so I said okay. Then they asked me if I know someone named 'Patricia Stein', so I said yes. I told them I was your friend."

Patricia turned at a corner and said, "And then what happened?"

Ana continued, "Then, they asked me if I knew someone named 'Faye Valentine'. So I said no. Then they insisted that Patricia Stein and Faye Valentine is the same person. So I insisted that you are not Faye Valentine. Then they asked if the kid they brought along could take a look in my computers. So I thought since it's just a kid and won't cause any harm, I allowed him to-"

"It's a **she**. The kid named Edward, yes? That's a girl. She's a young computer genius we found in Earth, back when I was a bounty hunter, that is." Patricia bit her lips and added, "And I guess Ed told Jet and Spike that she found the hacking program you used to copy some formats of legal documents. Right?"

"Right." Ana replied, "The guy with the bionic arm-"

"That's Jet. What did he do or say next?"

"He told the kid to look inside the program's history, dating back two years ago. So the kid found out that I sneaked your faked documents into the government's database and was already made legal. Then they told me that since there is an existence of a faked legal document for Patricia Stein, it would mean that they were right, that Patricia Stein and Faye Valentine is the same person. I continuously disagreed with them until…"

"Until what?"

"The guy with fuzzy, green hair-"

"Spike."

"Yeah, he loaded a gun and pointed it at me. He threatened me that he would shoot at me if I won't give them the information that they want. So I said he can shoot if he wants, I told him that I was not afraid. I won't give him even a hint about you. Then he said, since the kid named Edward has copied the faked legal documents, they can present those to the police and have you and I imprisoned instead. Then they can also tell the police that I sneaked you in to get in Deimos, therefore putting me in double trouble."

"Damn them!" Patricia yelled, "Then what?"

"I didn't want to jeopardize your situation any further. I didn't want them to report to the police about the faked documents. I didn't want them to ruin your new life, Trish. So I… I told them everything I knew. I told them that indeed, you, Patricia Stein, and Faye Valentine is one person. They said they were looking for you for two years, ever since you ran away from the Bebop and turned your back from being a bounty hunter."

"Did they say why they were looking for me?"

"No, no, they didn't." Ana sighed, "They asked me where they could find you. Since I faked the primary address in your legal documents, I just told them that you were going to attend a party today. I told them everything about the party. Then they told me that if I tell you what happened on that day and you didn't show up in the party, they'll tell the authorities about what we did. So I opted not to tell you. Trish, I'm really, really sorry."

"No, that's… That's okay, Ana. I'm just glad to hear that you're safe now." Patricia remarked, "I understand what happened. I could've done the same thing for you. And else, you were threatened. It's completely understandable, Ana. I even have to thank you for not being too stubborn since otherwise we'll be rotting in jail together."

"Well, how about you, Trish? I'm worried, too. Are they-"

"Yes, Spike was chasing me a while ago. It's a good thing I activated my car. I got away in time."

"Is there anything I can do to help you right now?"

"No, I think I can handle this by myself. Don't try to track me with your online navigator, either. Jet might've asked Ed to implant a detector in your computers." Patricia's phone made some beeping sounds and she said, "Sorry I gotta hang up now, Ana. My phone's running low on battery. Stay safe."

"Yeah, you too. Stay safe, Trish. Call me later again, okay? I doubt that I could sleep tonight, knowing that someone's after you right now. Hey, do call me if you need any help."

"Ha! I'll be alright, Ana. Okay, I'll call you later when everything's clear or if I need any help. Bye." Patricia said and hung up.

"_What do they want from me? It's not like I wanted them to look for me."_ Patricia thought as she turned right to a gas station to fuel up her car.

She turned her car off and stepped out of it, carrying her handbag with her. She opened the compartment for her car's tank and told the service guy there, "Full tank. Check the oil, water, and wheels for me. I'll just use the comfort room."

"Yes, ma'am!" the service guy replied.

But before she started walking, she stared suspiciously at the guy.

"I-I-Is there a problem, ma'am?" the guy asked.

"No, nothing." She smiled, "I was just making sure you don't look like someone who's been bugging me today. Be thankful you don't."

The guy sighed in relief and she started walking towards the comfort room.

Upon reaching the comfort room, she opened a faucet and splashed some water on her face. She then leaned her arms on the sink and stared at her reflection on the mirror in front of her.

"_Despite how different I look now compared to how I look two years ago, deep inside I know that I am still Faye Valentine."_ Patricia thought.

* * *

**(Flashback…)**

It had been three days since Spike left. Jet sighed as he looked at the Red Tail. He finally finished repairing Faye's zip craft.

"Look at you, all fixed up." Jet said practically to no one, "But how about your pilot, huh? Is she all fixed up?"

Faye was in her room, watching the beta-tape of her when she was younger, before she was cast into cryogenic hibernation. She was clutching her pillow tight, with her face buried in it. She was trying to stifle a sob, but she just can't.

"_Does the past really matter?" Spike asked._

"_You can say that because you know your past!" Faye snapped back._

"_At least you have a future." Spike told her._

She remembered that conversation. That made an impact on her. At that instance, that instance when he said those words to her, for the first time in her life – well, at least after waking up from her cryogenic sleep, the past didn't really matter to her. It was as if Spike's words were sufficient enough to make her stop from hunting for who she was – who she was before she was put into cold sleep.

"_You said the past doesn't matter." Faye said with a cracked voice, "But you're the one who's still trapped in your past, Spike!"_

Faye stopped holding on to the pillow and threw it at the old-style television in front of her. She scrambled to turn off the beta-player and the TV. After turning it off…

"_I've got to do this, Faye." Spike spoke coolly._

"_So you're going to throw your life away, just like that?" Faye told him in a what-the-hell-are-you-saying tone of voice._

"_I'm not going there to die. I'm going there to see if I really am alive." Spike said and started walking._

_Faye aimed her gun at his back but opted to fire pointlessly at the roof. She fired five shots in a row, but Spike kept on walking, unfazed by the fact that she was allowing bullets to rain behind him._

_He just kept on walking._

_Without ever looking back, he was walking. He was walking towards the past. His past._

Faye stood up and punched the wall repeatedly until her knuckles had hurt. Then she collapsed on her knees, sobbing. "It's been three days, you bastard! Get your ass back in here!"

She lied on the floor, in fetal position, and hugged herself, "Please come back, Spike… please come back… You said you didn't go there to die… so please come back…"

"He may not come back, Faye." It was Jet. He was outside her bedroom door.

She heard the sound of a lighter clicking, followed by the smell of cigarette. He was smoking.

"It's been three days. He must be-"

"NO!" Jet heard Faye shouting from the inside, "NO! He's not yet dead! He's not yet dead!"

He also heard the sound of a gun loading. He knows that Faye has her gun in her hand and she was aiming at the door.

"Put that gun down, Faye." Jet told her, "Put it down before you hurt yourself."

For once in his life, he felt sorry for Faye. Jet and Faye never really come into good terms, they often argue. But both of them lost a friend. Jet lost a partner. It had just been three years since they teamed up.

Faye? Faye lost an important person in her life. The only man she respected, the only man she looked up to after waking from her cold sleep, probably the only man she truly loved for who he was.

Jet had a hunch that Faye had feelings for Spike that's why she's such in a depressed state. Well, men know for a fact that women lock themselves in their room for days and drown themselves in tears to cope up for what they lost, for what they are guilty of, for what they regret having done or regret not doing.

Jet was guessing that the gun was still in her hands. He opened the door to her room and found Faye on her knees on the floor, crying. She had her arms at her sides, as if limped. Jet sat in front of her and slowly took the gun from her right hand. He held her gun with his left hand and gently held her right wrist with his right hand. He was gently unclasping her fingers from the gun.

He now has the gun. He unloaded it. He looked around her room. It was in such a mess.

"You haven't eaten in three days, Faye." Jet told her.

"I'm not hungry."

"In case you've lost your sense of time, it's my honor to inform you that you haven't eaten in **three days** not three hours. Clearly enough, your body is begging for food. I cooked something. So just come with me, we'll eat."

"I don't want to."

"Do you want to eat outside?"

"No."

"What do you want?"

She just looked at him sadly, "I want that bastard back."

Jet ran his free hand through his head and sighed. Damn, Faye looked pitiful.

"No matter what it takes… I want him back." She was crying again, but no more tears were coming out. It hurts her eyes. She had run out of tears. She had been constantly crying for three days.

"Faye, it's been three days." Jet calmly told her, "I've lost contact with Spike. I tried calling and paging him until last night. I… I just can't reach him."

"You know where he went!" Faye semi-scolded, "Why don't you go there and look for him, huh?!"

"I already did." He replied, "I did that, two days ago. While you were still locked up in this room and started crying, I went out to look for him."

"Well?" Faye stared.

"Nothing. All I found were the Swordfish parked somewhere near the syndicates' headquarters' building, several dead bodies, including the carcass of Vicious. But… Spike wasn't there. I couldn't even find his corpse!"

"Nothing?" Faye hissed, "Nothing?"

"Well, I did find his gun. It was covered in blood, but I managed to pick it up. It's in his room now. But that's all I found, Faye." Jet shook his head, "I'm sorry."

Faye grabbed Jet by his collar and stared at him. It was as if she was begging him to tell her not to worry and Spike was alive but… he knows deep down that he can't do that. He didn't find Spike. He can't tell a big lie to Faye, not in her state now.

Jet took hold of her trembling hands and removed them from clutching his collar, "I'm sorry, Faye. We have to accept the fact that Spike is dead."

Faye heaved a heavy sigh and started sobbing again. Jet stood up and left her room, closing her door.

"Spike!" Faye shouted, "Spike! Spike!"

* * *

The faucet was still running. Patricia was still staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was wet, not because of the water she had splashed onto her face earlier, but because her face is stained with tears.

She came back to her senses and wiped her tears with the back of her hands.

"_Where did __**that**__ come from? Why was I thinking of __**that**__?"_ Patricia faked a smile and splashed water on her face once more.

* * *

The service guy was whistling tunes by himself as he stood by Patricia's convertible car.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting. I had a phone call while I was in the comfort room. So, is my car okay?" Patricia said as she walked towards her car.

Patricia's long, violet hair wasn't tied up in a ponytail anymore. Her long, straight locks' length was until her shoulder blades.

"Oh, that's okay, ma'am. It was only a short while. That would be 2,220 woolongs, ma'am." The service guy replied.

Patricia reached in her handbag for her wallet and took out some cash. She gave it to the service guy as she opened her car door and got in.

The service guy counted the cash and said, "I received 3,000 woolongs in cash, please wait for your-"

"No, no. No need. I kept you waiting for a quite a while. Keep the change." Patricia said while she started her car.

"Wow! Thank you, ma'am!" the service guy grinned, "Th-That was a **big** tip!"

Patricia smirked and revved up her car, "You deserve it. Thanks and good day."

"No, thank **you** and have a good night, ma'am!" the service guy waved at her.

Then, she hit the pedal and sped up on the freeway.

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Jet remembers how he saw Spike two years ago. Meanwhile, Patricia/Faye has no idea where she plans to go. Will Spike be able to catch up to a woman with a hot, speeding car?**

**Let the race begin!**

**Session 3: A Waltz Down Memory Lane**

"_**Well, what does my green hair suggest, Jet? Does my hair suggest that I'm Ein?"**_

**- Spike Spiegel**

**See you space cowboy!**

_**A/N:**_** Hey, some more reviews could help me. ;]**

**Tell me what you think and hit that review button NOW! :]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	3. A Waltz Down Memory Lane

**HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!**** :]**

* * *

**(Session 3: A Waltz Down Memory Lane)**

"_Tsk. Why is she running away now? Just two years ago, she was pleading for Spike to return. Is she playing hard-to-get? Darn. I don't get women."_ Jet thought as he looked at Patricia's picture in the computer.

"That's Faye-Faye?" Edward asked, sticking her face on the computer screen.

"Yeah." Jet replied. Ein barked thrice.

"Patricia Stein." Edward read her name, "That's not Faye-Faye's name, right?"

"No, that's her new name."

"Ooh, Faye-Faye has a new name!" Ed stood up and carried Ein, "Her new surname even sounds like your name, Ein! Come to think of it, if you put your name and Faye-Faye's new last name, you get another name! Einstein! Weeeee!"

Ed started spinning round and round while Ein was still in her hands. Ein started barking continuously and Ed laughed heartily. She stopped twirling and she put Ein down. Ein folded his legs and closed his eyes. He might've been dizzy.

"Is Faye-Faye coming back with Spike-person?" Ed asked as she sat beside Jet.

"Hmmm?" Jet hummed as he stuck a cigarette between his lips and lighted it. He puffed the smoke out and replied, "I'm not really sure about that, Ed."

"Aww, but Ed misses Faye-Faye!" Ed said in a sad tone.

Jet leaned on the couch and continued smoking.

* * *

**(Flashback…)**

"_It's been two days since Faye took off without even leaving a note. She took off with her Red Tail while I was fast asleep."_ Jet sighed and shook his head, "Now what am I gonna do? I'm all alone in this big ship."

Then, his computer started beeping. Someone was calling him.

"It might be Faye." He muttered as he reached for a button on the keyboard.

An image of a guy with blonde hair clad in doctor's clothes appeared on the screen.

"Are you Mr. Jet Black?" the doctor asked.

"Yeah, that's me. Why?" Jet replied.

"_Did Faye try to kill herself by crashing the Red Tail with herself inside? Now she's physically got herself in trouble?"_ Jet thought.

"Well, we have here a patient who gave us your contact detail. He said he's Spike Spiegel." The doctor replied, "Could you come over to the Tharsis City General Hospital? We would like to ask some questions. Also, Mr. Spiegel is ready to be discharged anytime."

"W-Wait, wait, wait, wait." Jet stood up in disbelief, "Spike Spiegel? Spike Spiegel?"

"Yes, Mr. Spike Spiegel." The doctor confirmed, and frowned just a bit, "Don't you know him?"

"Is he alive?"

"Yes, he is very much alive. He just woke up today. Some men brought him in here six days ago. He has been admitted in this hospital since then." The doctor informed.

"Okay, okay. I'll be there." Jet replied and closed the link.

Then, Jet started typing something on his computer. It made beeping sounds again. He was trying to contact Faye through her Red Tail's communicator.

"Answer the call, Faye." Jet impatiently said as he was tapping his fingers on the table, "Answer the damn call. Spike is alive, or so that doctor said."

Alas, no answer.

He tried again.

No answer.

Again.

Still, there was no answer.

Another call.

Silence.

"What the hell is that woman up to?! And where the fuck is she?!" Jet whined. He started walking his way towards the helm of the Bebop to drive the lonely ship to Tharsis City.

* * *

"Damn!" Spike was able to contact Jet through the Swordfish's communicator, "Really, I almost got lost there!"

Spike was panting and had beads of sweat on his face, "Hey Jet."

"What?" Jet replied.

"Send me a map of this city… uh, what's the name of this city again?"

"Metropolis."

"I hear gold coins clanging just at the sound of this city's name." Spike told Jet.

Spike removed his white jacket and placed it neatly on his seat's backrest. He rolled up his sleeves and started up the Swordfish.

"The race is on!" Spike mentioned as he and his Swordfish took off.

* * *

**(Flashback…)**

"Is that you, Spike?" Jet said as he stood beside the bed of a badly injured and a heavily bandaged Spike Spiegel.

"Well, what does my green hair suggest, Jet? Does my hair suggest that I'm Ein?" Spike joked.

Jet snickered at that. Spike met Death face to face, yet he still managed to pull out a joke.

"Where's Faye? Guarding the Bebop?" Spike asked.

Jet was silenced at that. Jet pulled a chair and sat beside Spike. Jet ran his human hand through his head and sighed.

Spike took that as a hint. Faye is not in the Bebop.

"Is she catching a bounty somewhere?" Spike snickered, "And she screwed up badly?"

Silence.

"She left you all alone in the Bebop?" Spike looked at Jet.

Jet hasn't said a word.

"Goddamn it! I told her to never leave you 'coz you got a bad leg!" Spike hissed, "That conniving, selfish woman!"

"She ran away." Jet finally said.

"Yeah, I know, I know. I can take a hint, Jet. Sheesh." Spike replied, pissed.

"She ran away… because of you."

Spike's eyes widened and stared at Jet.

"Surprised? Me, too. I didn't know she'll be so depressed to know that you have died. We presumed that you were dead because we've lost contact from you for three days and I, myself, went here in Tharsis City, in the Red Dragon Syndicates' headquarters. All I found were dead bodies, your gun, your Swordfish, but not you. I think Faye kinda lost it when she heard that from me."

"Have you tried calling her? Tell her I'm okay. Women are so suicidal when they're depressed. No matter how annoying she can be, I still don't like the idea of killing herself because of me-"

"I already tried. I tried several times." Jet answered and shook his head.

Silence.

"When I get out of here, when I'm completely healed, Jet," Spike says as he stares at the ceiling, "I want to go back to being a bounty hunter. I want to pilot the Swordfish. I want to stay aboard the Bebop."

Jet snickered, "Sure thing, Spike."

"While we're out for some woolongs, we're going to look for that annoying woman." Spike scratched his head, "I need some bath, too."

* * *

Patricia ran a hand through her hair, which was being blown by the wind as she was speeding up on the freeway.

"_Where the hell am I going anyway?"_ Patricia thought.

"Tsk. Whatever." She uttered as she increased her speed on the freeway.

The freeway she was on almost looked unused. It's as if it's she and her car is alone in the freeway.

She looked at her side mirror and her eyes widened. She grabbed her seatbelt and fastened it. She stepped on the gas pedal and was nearing her car's maximum speed.

The wind was starting to hurt her face. So, she pressed a button on the dashboard and the convertible top of her car was activated. She pressed a button on her car door's armrest and the window glass came up and sealed the vent.

She was looking for a turnpike and a tunnel on the road ahead, but there was none. The freeway was still a straight one up ahead.

She looked at her side mirror again and cursed under her breath. The Swordfish was already tailing her.

* * *

"How much did she pay for a hot, black, convertible car that goes that fast? It's like she's a drag racer!" Spike told Jet.

"Then hit a wheel." Jet suggested, "If your Swordfish can't keep up with her speed, then aim a bullet on one of her car's wheels."

Spike's monitor was zooming in to Patricia's black car and the target eye was still having difficulty in locking in to aim at the car's left back wheel.

"Come on, come on." Spike muttered impatiently.

* * *

Patricia's heart was pacing. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins. Her hands were turning cold as she nervously tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

She pressed a button on her car door once more. Then, all of the windows in her car were closed. She was feeling unusually cold. Well, she was nervous.

"_I think he's aiming at me."_ She thought.

"Here goes nothing!" she murmured as she kicked the gas pedal again. She was now at her car's maximum speed on the seemingly empty freeway.

* * *

Spike sped up the Swordfish as well as soon as he noticed that Patricia sped up on the freeway once more.

The target eye on his monitor now turned red and was blinking. It was locked on.

"Sorry, but just one bullet will do." Spike murmured. He pressed a button and a bullet was launched from the Swordfish's machine gun.

The bullet successfully hit the left back wheel.

* * *

Patricia felt that the left back wheel of her car has been successfully hit and deflated. But she was still at full speed. She started losing control of the steering wheel as she felt that the rubber of the left back wheel was beginning to burn and rip off due to intense friction.

She stopped pressing on the gas pedal and started pressing on the brake pedal gently at first so as to gradually decrease her speed, and to avoid losing control of her car any further. She tightened her grip on her steering wheel and was controlling it, as it was forcibly turning on its own.

She felt that the rubber of her car's left back wheel has been completely ripped off. The screeching sound of metal-on-pavement echoed in the air. She looked at her left side mirror and saw that her left back wheel's metal rim was starting to give off sparks.

Patricia pressed on the brake pedal completely and reached for the handbrake. But then, with only one hand on the steering wheel, she was having much more difficulty in controlling her car… until her grip couldn't last any longer and her steering wheel started spinning uncontrollably. And so did her car.

"Shit!" she shrieked as she saw her car was headed for a light post.

She screamed.

* * *

"Faye!" Spike yelled as he helplessly watched the black car swivel uncontrollably and was now headed towards a huge, concrete light post.

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Patricia finally confronts Spike, as she is left with no other choice, given her situation. However, having Patricia to come with him wasn't as easy as Spike had thought. Just why is he so desperate to find Faye/Patricia?**

**Watch out! It's…**

**Session 4: Lady Marmalade**

"_**I'm not a fucking preschooler, Faye."  
**_**- Spike Spiegel**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_** I really hope you liked this chapter. Yeah, Spike may a little bit be OOC, but hey. Just keep up with it. XD**

**Like I said before, I'm new to writing fics for Cowboy Bebop. But I'm a big fan of the whole story. So if you have some suggestions so I could write better, please do tell me. Constructive criticisms are always welcome. Thank you very much! :]**

**Again, reviews are ****highly**** appreciated! So hit that review button NOW! :]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	4. Lady Marmalade

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I own the plot of this fanfiction, though. :P

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_Yes! I'm finally back! Just graduated from college and I now have my time back to writing.** I'm really sorry if I'd been gone for a long time.** Also, I had my files from my old CPU wiped out because of a clumsy computer technician. Tsk! So it took time for me to redo the chapters of this fanfic and the other fanfics I still had on hiatus.

I took my time to continue this first because honestly, I could relate a lot to Faye Valentine. Most of the things I write here are my thoughts in real life. —sniff—

So, be it known that the narrator if this story is **OMNISCIENT**, meaning, all-knowing. The narrator knows what goes on in the story and also, what the characters are thinking. Aww, I missed writing so much. I missed you, too. So let's get to it.

* * *

**(Previously…)**

Patricia felt that the left back wheel of her car has been successfully hit and deflated. But she was still at full speed. She started losing control of the steering wheel as she felt that the rubber of the left back wheel was beginning to burn and rip off due to intense friction.

She stopped pressing on the gas pedal and started pressing on the brake pedal gently at first so as to gradually decrease her speed, and to avoid losing control of her car any further. She tightened her grip on her steering wheel and was controlling it, as it was forcibly turning on its own.

She felt that the rubber of her car's left back wheel has been completely ripped off. The screeching sound of metal-on-pavement echoed in the air. She looked at her left side mirror and saw that her left back wheel's metal rim was starting to give off sparks.

Patricia pressed on the brake pedal completely and reached for the handbrake. But then, with only one hand on the steering wheel, she was having much more difficulty in controlling her car… until her grip couldn't last any longer and her steering wheel started spinning uncontrollably. And so did her car.

"Shit!" she shrieked as she saw her car was headed for a light post.

She screamed.

* * *

"Faye!" Spike yelled as he helplessly watched the black car swivel uncontrollably and was now headed towards a huge, concrete light post.

* * *

**(Session 4: Lady Marmalade)**

The car swiveled madly, uncontrollably towards the huge column of solid concrete. Patricia tried with all her might on the hand brake. There was absolutely no point in trying for the steering wheel now—she might rip her arm off for doing so.

Spike watched in horror and immediately engaged to land the Swordfish on the highway.

Patricia saw that she was nearing the light post. She shut her eyes tight and held her breath, bracing herself for impact.

"Spike! Spike! What's happening?" Jet yelled in the Swordfish's communicator.

Spike was able to land on the highway and he immediately hopped off from his spacecraft.

Patricia felt her car stop and neither could she feel anything. For a while she thought she might've been dead. So she opened her eyes to find herself completely alive. Her car had stopped a few inches away from hitting the forsaken post.

Patricia, with her hands, started to feel her arms and legs, face, shoulders, and neck. She sighed very audibly, latched herself on the steering wheel and laid her forehead on it as well.

"Oh God. Oh sweet Jesus who came to save humanity, you've done it again. Hallelujah," she murmured.

Now, she wasn't exactly a devout, or had any faith for that matter, but she just said it as a rather sarcastic expression after that close brush with death.

Patricia heard pacing towards her. Someone opened the door and she knew that someone was checking on her. She just sat up, still with her eyes closed, and tossed her head back on her seat. She made several deep intakes of breath.

Spike eyed the woman and inspected for any injuries. There seems none. He just watched her take several deep breaths. With that, he asked, "Faye, are you all right?"

"For the love of God!" Patricia hissed as she opened her eyes and shot a death glare at Spike, "I am **not** this Faye you keep calling me!"

"Let's just get you out of there and let's talk," Spike ignored what she said. He bent over and reached for her seatbelt, with hopes of getting her out of the car. She pushed him back out and yelled, "Don't touch me!"

Spike took a step back. His patience was on the edge. Two years of searching, at last, he finds her, and she's in denial? Oh no. No, no, no. In Spike's mind, he has issues that **must be** and **will be** settled with this woman.

"Step out of the car, Ma'am," Spike ordered, placing a hand on his hip.

She just stared at him before answering, "I'll get by, **officer**, so please, leave me alone, once and for all! I'm having a bad night, thanks a lot to you."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She reached for her purse and got her cellphone and a spare battery. She started to change her phone's battery. Well, she needed to call the tow service, the car insurance company, and probably the cab service, as well.

"I'm saving up for a grand vacation next month, and you just have to ruin it." She murmured, finishing the battery change and starting up her phone, "Repairs for this car are going to burn my savings; therefore, my plans for next month are thrown out of the window."

She cursed inaudibly.

Spike ran a hand through his hair, "Faye, step out of that fucking car or I'll make you."

"For the nth time, I am **not** this Faye Valentine. So please, **officer**, you got the wrong person. You're forgiven. Go now and leave me in peace."

"I'm not a fucking preschooler, Faye!" Spike hissed. He calmed down as he sighed audibly and told her, "Even if you changed the way you clothe yourself, the way you talk, the way you walk, the way you are with people, the way you live your life now, and most of all, even if you changed your **name**, you are **still**, and **will always** be Faye Valentine."

Patricia gritted her teeth and tossed her phone back in her purse in annoyance.

"If I admit that I'm indeed Faye Valentine, would you leave me alone?" Patricia clicked her tongue, glaring at Spike in sheer anger, "FINE! I **was** Faye Valentine. I **was** that person two years ago, until I changed my name to Patricia Stein, so I could finally live anew and have a better chance in this life!"

**(_A/N_: From this point on, I will now refer to Patricia Stein as Faye Valentine.)**

"And why are you alive?" Faye wiped the sweat off her brow as she sat back once more, "Never mind. Now you know what you've wanted to know. Leave me alone."

"I already knew what you think I wanted to know," Spike tried to calm himself down before his impatience strikes, "But you're not doing what I wanted you to do. Just in case you forgot. Get the fuck out of that car."

Silence.

Faye just reached to close her car door. Bad move, though. That triggered Spike to dart towards her. He was able to stop her from closing her car door. He reached for something in his pocket and said, "You made me do this, Faye." It was a small spray bottle. He sprayed the mist on her face. He pocketed the small bottle and tried to release her from her seatbelt.

Now, she was still conscious and she still made a few attempts to push him away. However, her arms fell on her lap and she became unconscious. Touché. After releasing her from her seatbelt, Spike wrapped an arm around her slim waist and hoisted her over his shoulder. He reached for her purse before stepping out of the car and started to walk towards his Swordfish.

* * *

Faye opened her eyes and cringed a bit as she felt a wave of pain in her head. She blinked a few times to find herself in a dimly-lit room. She looked at her surroundings. The room was familiar to her, and even the air was familiar to her.

Her eyes widened at the realization. She was in her room at the Bebop. She also looked at herself. She was tied to a chair. She wasn't gagged though… so she can't help but scream when she felt something warm moving at her feet. She tried to kick whatever was moving at her feet, but her ankles were also tied to the chair, as a result, she fell sideways on the floor—yes, with the chair on her back. She groaned in pain—her head stung when it made contact on the metal floor.

Ein continuously barked at Faye.

Faye stared at the Welsh Corgi. She closed her eyes and hissed, "Damn mutt. It was just you. Look at what you've done."

Ein strut his way to Faye's face and licked her exposed cheek.

"Faye-Faye's awake!" Ed happily exclaimed as she opened the door of Faye's room. Ed happily danced at the doorway, humming Faye's name non-stop.

Faye could only feel her head had stung more when she heard Ed sang.

"What was that?" It was Jet, who rushed at her room. Behind him was Spike. Apparently, they heard a loud 'thud' and Ein's barks.

"Well, let's just say that my face was very happy and very eager to see the floor of my room so it can't help but toss my entire body on it. Yes, my face said it's very happy now that it has been reunited with the floor." Faye sarcastically said and raised her voice a little as she looked at Ein, "Ein! Stop licking my face!"

Ein yipped and sat in front of her face, wagging his tail.

Jet approached Faye and placed her and the chair back upright. Apparently, Faye had busted skin on her left temple when she made impact on the floor. Blood trickled from her temple to her chin, staining the hair that clung on her face.

"Ouch! Hey! Nice, meeting you too, Jet! Geez!" Faye snapped at Jet as he tried to touch the wound.

"You have a wound," Jet told her as he showed to her the blood on his finger.

"Yes, my blood was also ecstatic so it opted to force itself out of my skin so it could see the Bebop crew once again." Faye rolled her eyes, "I'm giving you three seconds to release me. Three…"

"There's one very unhappy camper." Spike smugly whistled.

"Two…"

"Spike, just get the first aid kit before her wound gets worse." Jet sighed.

"One." Faye groaned in frustration, wiggled in her chair and yelled exasperatedly, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Ein barked and Ed hid behind her door, only popping her head out to peek at what was going on.

Spike made one emotionless look at her and pocketed his hands as he went off to do what Jet asked of him.

Faye started shaking as she fisted her hands which were tied on her lap. She bowed her head and stifled another scream and a sob that was building up in her throat. She was starting to cry. She felt so much anger curdling from the pit of her stomach, electrifying all the nerves in her body.

"How could you do this to me, Jet?" Faye almost whispered and eventually, her voice started to grow louder, "Can't you take a hint? I ran away without a note, disconnected all means of communication for you to get to me, went missing for two years, and changed who I am and what I am. Have you ever thought that probably, I didn't want to be chased? Is that very difficult to conclude?"

This time, Ed tiptoed her way to Ein. She carried him and tiptoed out of the room as well. She doesn't like hearing and seeing Faye yelling in sheer anger.

Spike came back to the room. He stopped by the doorway as he heard Faye practically yelling at Jet. Faye's head really felt like it was going to split in half—the pain only pulsated when she started yelling. She wanted to hold both sides of her head, if only her hands weren't tied.

"The last time you saw me, I was quite a mess, wasn't I?" Faye told Jet who just bowed his head. She bit her lips to stop a stubborn sob and was aware that Spike was by the door. "I was in a mess because of **that **fucking bastard," She sharply eyed Spike and then looked back at Jet, "Why is it that when he went away to brawl with his own demons, you allowed it? And when I went my way, you didn't allow it? Didn't it ever cross your mind that I went away to pick up my pieces and start again? Am I not allowed a life of my own? Isn't that quite selfish?"

Spike strode towards Jet and handed him the kit. Then, Spike sprayed on Faye's face the same mist that lulled her to sleep when he, well, 'kidnapped' her at Deimos.

"Spike!" Jet was caught off guard by what Spike did. Jet looked at him. Spike didn't have an ounce of emotion on his face.

"Trust me, she needs it this time." Spike answered as he watched Faye made one angry glare at him.

"You were…better off…dead." Faye muttered at Spike before finally dropping her head, no longer able to fight the inducing sleep.

Spike reached in his leisure suit's inside pocket to get his cigarette and his lighter.

"I bet she didn't mean that." Jet said as he opened the first aid kit, "That was the headache talking."

Spike lit his cigarette and turned on his heel. He puffed the smoke out and started walking out of the room, "Either way, I really don't care. She's a woman with an attitude. What's new with that?"

"Where are you going?" Jet muttered.

"Off to catch a small fry bounty. We did spend some just to find that moody woman, didn't we? We need to catch something to at least get at a breakeven, y'know. See ya." Jet heard Spike say.

Jet sighed and started cleaning Faye's wound, "Well, aren't you troublesome?"

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Resonance (rez'ǝ-nǝns), _n._ 1) Intensification and prolongation of a sound; sound produced by a body vibrating in sympathy with a neighboring source of sound**

**_Synonyms:_ 1) reverberation, echo**

…**Some thoughts just keep on repeating themselves in our heads, don't they?**

**Session 5: Resonance**

"_**Where do you start? Where do you run to? You'll eventually realize that you have no one else but yourself."  
**_—**Faye Valentine**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_I hope you all liked this chapter! The next chapter will be **very long** and will have some sort of angst to it, but I wish you're still all up for it! Yes, I finished the next chapter, so expect that the next update would be soon. Not very soon, but soon. :]

**Hey, it'll really help me a lot if you'd let me know how you want this story to go. It'll give me more ideas, plus, I'll help you get this story YOUR (and my) way. Win-win situation, yes? :]**

**So tell me what you think and submit a review! :]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	5. Resonance

_**DEDICATION:**_ To my good friend **Lucky**, who downloaded the entire series for me, the movie too, the manga, all the music albums, the artbooks, and a whole lot of Cowboy Bebop pictures! That kept me going! Whew! I'll consider those as your graduation gift to me. Thanks buddy! :]

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_ I wasn't very much familiar with the Cowboy Bebop story anymore, so aside from watching the series again, I dropped by **rfblues (dot) net **to download transcripts of Session 15: My Funny Valentine, Session 18: Speak Like A Child, and Session 24: Hard Luck Woman. Apparently, I now have an extensive knowledge of Faye Valentine's life! Yeah! So I was able to incorporate (and I hope I did) the young Faye, Sally Yung (Faye's classmate in high school), and Witney Hagas Matsumoto (the one who 'cared' for Faye right after her cold sleep) in this chapter.

By the way, **from now on**, I will be giving you** long chapters**, so I do hope that you'll enjoy it! Okay, enough of the yapping! Session 5 starts now!

* * *

**(Session 5: Resonance)**

"_You were…better off…dead."_

Those words echoed in his head. Spike clicked on his tongue, tossed and turned in his bed. He got a pillow and sandwiched his head between the two pillows. He shut his eyes and tried his best to sleep.

Alas, he remembers how she stared at him with so much remorse. He also remembered when she saw him for the first time in Deimos—the color drained from her face and she wanted nothing but to get away from him. Why did she hate him so much now?

It's been two days since he 'kidnapped' Faye in Deimos, and it was yesterday since she practically yelled at everyone on the Bebop. She was still unconscious, and they took advantage of this. They untied her from the chair and asked Ed to bathe her. After Ed finished changing Faye's clothes, Faye was laid on her bed, just so she could be more comfortable. But they made sure that her bedroom door was locked.

"_You were…better off…dead."_

Spike sat up and reached for his cigarette and lighter on top of his bedside dresser. Apparently, his chest was bare and he had a pair of red jogging pants on. He puffed out smoke and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. He stood up and exited his room. He decided to go to the bridge. Hopefully, by working out, he'll be able to get tired and get some sleep as well.

He passed by the bonsai room. Apparently, Jet was there, tending to his bonsai trees.

"Hey." Jet called.

Spike stopped by the room's doorway and replied, "Hey."

"What's up?" Jet asked.

"Can't sleep," Spike answered back and exhaled smoke, "I was on my way to the bridge to get some workout."

"Eh? Is there a reason why you can't sleep tonight?" Jet looked up at Spike and then back to his bonsai.

"Nothing, really."

"Is it Faye?"

"Definitely not." Spike snorted and exhaled smoke once more, "What made you think that?"

"Maybe something that she said?"

"I told you, I really don't fucking care if she meant what she said or not."

"I know you heard her yelling things at me," Jet finished trimming his bonsai and looked up at Spike again, "And I think it affected you in some way."

Spike snorted and put his cigarette between his lips, smoke filling his lungs.

"Look, we got her. You know what you have to do." Jet told him, while reaching for an aluminum wire.

"Didn't you see what she just did? She totally went into bitch mode when she saw you **and** me." Spike leaned on the doorframe and continued, "So how do you expect me to do what you expect me to do?"

"I didn't expect that you'd do it yesterday, Spike." Jet sighed, "Do it some other time…or day, when she's calmed down from all these. We took her out of her new comfort zone. So I guess it'll take a bit of time for her to register what had happened, and the fact that **you're** around."

"_You were…better off…dead."_

Spike took in a big whiff at his cigarette when he heard that voice again.

Silence.

"Just talk to her, okay? Explain what had happened. I guess she'll explain herself, too." Jet told Spike, "After then we let her decide if she goes back to her home at Deimos or if she stays with us."

"I doubt she would." Spike flicked his cigarette outside the room and let it stay between his fingers before asking, "How 'bout you? Why'd you let her yell at you?"

"I could tell she needed it. That was two years of pent up frustrations, anger, and confusion. She just let it out." Jet snorted, "Give her a chance to 'bitch out'—"

"—well, isn't that a surprise?" Spike scowled.

Jet sighed, "Well, all sorts of shit happened in her life. She earned to yell at us yesterday. What she said to you was what I was really concerned about."

"_You were…better off…dead."_

Spike rolled his eyes, "For the nth time, Jet—"

"She finally accepted that you **were** dead. Her mind was reconciled with that fact and had decided to live her life—one that is detached from all the things that she knew about us. And for you to waltz back to her world, I guess it wreaked havoc in her head." Jet looked up at Spike, "So she said what she said. Don't take it bad."

"Whatever, **dad**." Spike turned on his heel, "I'm off to the bridge."

Spike walked away and finished his cigarette, scrunching the butt at a nearby trash bin. He finally reached the bridge.

"_You were…better off…dead."_

Spike started jabbing and kicking the air, the moment that thought came across his mind once more.

* * *

**(Flashback...)**

"Ah, home sweet home." Spike whistled as he held a bottle of beer and plopped down on the mustard-colored couch of the Bebop, while Jet was cooking something in the kitchen.

He and Jet just got back after being discharged from the hospital. Fortunately for them, the doctors said that someone else had paid for their bills and had asked to be kept anonymous. They were told that this was the same person who had asked to bring in Spike to the hospital. Well, whoever that person is, they were thankful—especially Jet, who had little money left. It's been a while since their last bounty. …but it still baffled them as to who it was.

He inhaled deeply and allowed the familiar scent of the Bebop to fill his lungs. It was nice to be back. He drank the beer until it was empty in one go.

Spike swayed the empty bottle in his hand, while he tossed his head back and closed his eyes.

_"She ran away… because of you."_

_Spike's eyes widened and stared at Jet._

_"Surprised? Me, too. I didn't know she'll be so depressed to know that you have died. We presumed that you were dead because we've lost contact from you for three days and I, myself, went here in Tharsis City, in the Red Dragon Syndicates' headquarters. All I found were dead bodies, your gun, your Swordfish, but not you. I think Faye kinda lost it when she heard that from me."_

Spike sighed and set the empty bottle on the floor. He stood up and walked lazily into a bedroom. It was Faye's bedroom. He stood there by the doorway and looked at the mess that was made of the room.

It had been about a week since Jet's first visit to Spike at the hospital, which makes it 10 days since Faye had gone. Jet had narrated to him how—well, _depressed_, if that would be the right word for it—Faye had become because of Spike's 'death'.

Spike furrowed his eyebrows in contemplation as his eyes fell on three unused bullets on the floor. He walked over and he crouched to touch it. Jet told him that he had unloaded

Faye's gun when he last saw her in a crying fit. He was also told that Faye shouted Spike's name over and over and that she refused to believe that he was dead. She also wanted him back on the Bebop badly.

Then, he also took notice of the blankets and the bedcovers which were haphazardly draped from the bed and onto the floor. There were also other things scattered on the floor, which includes Faye's make-up set, her ashtray, her packs of cigarettes, her lighter, a few poker chips, a deck of cards, some of her clothes, some souvenirs she got from the places she's been to, among others.

Spike sat on Faye's bed and his hands ghosted over her pillows, which looked crumpled. The tears have dried out. Of course it would be. It had been 10 days since the owner of this room last cried on these pillows. Spike was also told that Jet found Faye curled up in this bed, with her face buried in these pillows, crying. She had mourned for him. She took it badly. Really bad.

Spike had never seen Faye cry, or at least he doesn't remember. He didn't have any idea that his 'death' would shake her down to her very core. He tries to understand where she's coming from, though, based from the last time they talked. She said that her memories had returned, but she had no place to run to. She didn't have any friends—well, okay, she does; most of them are dead, if not with wrinkled skin, had arthritis, on wheelchairs—like Sally Yung, or with canes, or she just does not remember any of them at all. The Bebop became her 'home'. He, Jet, Ed, and Ein were her 'family', no matter how dysfunctional it seemed. So to lose someone whom she might've considered as her 'brother' had her in despair. Well, so much for Spike's analogy.

Wait, did Faye really ever thought of Spike as her 'brother'? Spike didn't know. But at least now he knows that he seemed very important to her, that he meant a lot to her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have done all that she did to herself when he was 'dead' and she would still be here, probably bickering with him at gunpoint.

Spike sort of smirked at that thought. He and Faye had almost always argued, to the point that they would sometimes scare the hell out of Ed and Ein, and that Jet would have to pull them apart before they could grab each other's throats. He had known Faye to be so strong that it's no longer feminine, yet, he didn't know that she had a vulnerable side. She needed somewhere to belong. She found it in Bebop.

Spike opened all of the drawers in Faye's bedside dresser. Her gun was nowhere to be found. He stood up and opened Faye's cabinet and saw that some of her clothes weren't there, too. Including a small duffle bag that he knows she owns. Well, Faye didn't own a lot of things, so he sort of knows the few things she owned.

Spike sighed and stood in the middle of her room, with his right hand in his pocket and the other one raking through his bush of a hair. She disappeared without a trace. She destroyed all means of communicating with her. And a few days ago, Jet found out that Faye had in-cashed what little amount she had left in her money card and had it disabled on the same day she left Bebop. She didn't exactly have a favorite planet or moon, nor did she have a favorite place to hang out often, and even if she did, Spike was sure she would stop frequenting those places because she would expect Jet to be chasing her.

It's not like Faye had never left the Bebop without telling them where she was—in fact, she does that a lot, but they always knew she'll be back. This one, however, looks like it's a different story. Her absence looks like she's dead serious about it. There was no closure.

He heaved another deep breath and crouched down on the floor again to gather her bed sheet and her blanket. He wanted to clean her room. He didn't want to be reminded that someone became this lost because of his 'death'.

Wait, why was he doing this? Why? What did Faye mean to him?

He didn't want to answer that question.

He just wanted to find her. No matter how long it takes.

He will go through the vast galaxy. He is determined to find her. And knowing her, he is sure she won't make it an easy find for him. Nevertheless, Spike **will **find Faye. He will find closure.

* * *

So here he was, sitting on a chair where she was tied onto yesterday. He sat beside her in her bedroom, drinking his second bottle of beer as he watched her sleep. He just walked thoughtlessly after doing some 'shadow kickboxing' at the bridge for about 20 minutes. He grabbed himself three bottles of beer and there, he found himself drinking beer while sitting beside Faye, watching her…watching her face contort. She was in some sort of pain.

Spike thought that it might be the wound on her temple. He set his half-full bottle of beer on the bedside dresser and reached for the first aid kit which Jet kept on the first drawer of the same dresser. He turned her head a bit to face him so he could see her wound better. He removed the dressings of her wound and placed it on the dresser. He began cleaning her wound, applying ointments, and putting fresh medical gauze. He placed the medical kit back in the drawer and took his bottle of beer once more. Bottoms up. Just like that, he finished his second bottle of booze.

Just what took him there?

"Where…is happiness…?"

Spike blinked twice. He swore he heard someone whispering. Was he drunk already? No. He knows that not two, not even six, bottles of beer can get him near drunk. He was quite the drinker.

"Where…do you…run to…?"

Spike had seen it. He saw Faye's lips move, mumbling something. Then, he gaped at what he saw next. Tears. And there was a look of hurt on her face, too. He was totally not expecting this.

"Uhh, Faye?" Spike blinked again as he moved closer to her sleeping figure to try and examine what was going on. She was still asleep. Was she really sleep-talking?

"I…should've…just died…"

Spike's eyes widened as he heard that. What was going on?

* * *

Faye had her eyes closed and took in the strong scent of the breeze and relished the soft rumbling of the ocean waves and the feel of sand between her toes. She opened her eyes and sighed at the sight. She was sitting on a beach, in front of a pristine ocean, with soft, gentle waves rushing at the shore. The sky was decorated with golden-lined clouds and an equally golden sun lining up at the horizon. She could tell it was about an hour before sunset.

When was the last time she did this? She can't remember. Heck, she can't even remember if she did this.

Then she heard sounds of laughter. Faye looked in the direction where she heard that sound. She was stunned at what she saw. She saw herself. Her younger self. The Faye she saw in that anonymous beta tape. The younger Faye was running around with her friends along the shore. Then, the younger Faye caught sight of the older one and smiled gingerly at her direction and gave her a big wave. The younger Faye seemed to have told her friends that she will be off somewhere and that they can go ahead. The friends said goodbye to her and she waved back at them. When they were gone, the younger Faye jogged up to meet the older Faye.

The older Faye does not know what to say.

"Are you lost?" The younger one chirped while flashing a chaste grin on her pretty face.

That was a good question. Where had she been anyway? And where was she going? Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall the answers to her own questions.

"Well?" The younger Faye, without the older one's permission, sat beside her and looked at her, "You're lost, aren't you?"

The older one smiled and scratched the back of her ear, "Hmm, yeah, guess you could say that."

"Doesn't your family know where you are?" The younger one asked.

Hey, what a question. Faye pursed her lips in contemplation.

"Well, I don't have a family anymore." Faye spoke. Truth. They had probably died with her during the Gate accident some decades ago—the doctors couldn't save them immediately, unlike she was. She was cryogenically preserved to be treated in a much later time—when advanced medical technology can heal her complex and critical injuries. Even if her family didn't die in the crash, they still probably died anyway, while she was still in cold sleep.

"That's sad," The younger Faye tilted her head on one side and started poking the sand beside her with her pointer finger, "How about your friends? Do they know you're here?"

Faye sighed at that. Geez, what's up with these questions?

"Hmm, I don't exactly have friends." Faye faked a smile, breaking eye contact with the younger one and she looked up in the sky, "I don't know if I have such. Even if I did, they wouldn't know if I'm here. And even if they did know, they wouldn't chase after me."

Lie. What about the Bebop crew? Aren't they her friends? Her second family? Well, definitely not. She had long left them two years ago. She would've guessed she cannot consider them to be her friends anymore.

"I know where you were going." Little Faye giggled and looked up at her older self.

This caught Faye's attention. She looked at her younger self and asked, "Really? Where?"

"To your happiness."

"Where is happiness?" Faye sadly looked at her younger self, "Where is it? Tell me."

Silence.

Faye started, "Do you know what awaits you? A near death experience. You will ride in a spacecraft and you will experience a crash that will leave doctors baffled as to how to save you. So they had one great solution. You will be cast into cryogenic hibernation until doctors in the future, who apparently will have the knowledge to save you, will wake you up. And when you do, you will barely have any memories of yourself or your past."

The younger Faye looked bewildered as the older one gritted her teeth to fight against yelling to this child. The older Faye continued, "…you will realize that you had been asleep for 54 years. You would wish it isn't true, but the reality of it will sink in to you really fast as everything around you is unfamiliar. You will start wishing you should've died instead of waking up into a complete state of nothingness. Where do you start? Where do you run to? You'll eventually realize that you have no one else but yourself. You will be attached to a few people, but you will also eventually realize that you shouldn't have because in the end, you'll get yourself hurt."

Without Faye's knowledge, she was sobbing and that she was fisting her hands in the sand on her sides. Hurt was raking through her body and she closed her eyes as more tears stung them. She said through sobs, "I wish I never woke up from that sleep! I should've just died! Is this my punishment for still being alive, huh? I've suffered enough! I can't take it anymore!" A small pair of hands shot up to her face and wiped her tears away.

"There, there, Faye," the younger one beamed at her, "don't take it that way. We couldn't turn back time now, could we?"

Wait, wait, wait. Did this little one really did know that she was the older version of herself?

Then, the younger Faye hugged her and stroked her long purple locks. The older Faye closed her eyes and sobbed quietly.

"Have you ever thought that everything had been planned by a higher power?" The younger one asked.

"A higher power?" The older one scoffed. If there is one, or rather, if she believed in one, that higher power shouldn't have allowed all the nasty things that had happened to her life to take place. Where is that higher power? Did she have faith in that higher power when she was this young? She can't remember.

"Yes," the younger Faye affirmed, "That you will encounter an accident, be put into cold sleep, only to wake up more than five decades in the future because the wonderful person that was destined for you, was not yet born by the time you lived?"

Faye remembered what this younger one had said in the beta tape, _"Is there a wonderful person beside me?"_

Ah yes, she must've been just like any female teenager when she was young, fantasizing about if a fairytale romance would happen in her life. She had to learn it the hard way, though. Her life isn't a fairytale. No knight in a fucking shining armor, no shitty prince charming, and definitely not a goddamn happy ever after. Nothing. Nil. Zilch. Her life has not even been anywhere near the stereotypical idea of a fairytale. If anything, her life story is a disaster.

"Who the hell is that 'wonderful person'?" Faye scoffed again, "When I meet that **awful person**, I will beat him until he becomes a bloody piece of mutilated pulp and tell him that I've been put through so much shit because I have been chosen by that higher power to be the unluckiest person in the universe, that I had been destined to fucking wait for him to be born and to grow up."

She didn't care about her language. She just felt so angry right now. She didn't know she was clutching the fabric on her younger version's back.

"You are chosen because you are the strongest." The younger Faye cradled her older version's head in her arms, "Please stop running away. Nothing will be solved if you do."

"Have I disappointed you?" Faye pulled herself from the younger one's arms and looked at her eyes.

With all sincerity, the younger one beamed at her tenderly and told her, "Not at all. I am you. You are me. I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Faye! Faye!" someone called.

"Brave, that's what you are." The younger Faye kissed the top of her older version's head, "You don't have to be afraid."

"Faye!" that voice called again.

The older Faye wrapped her arms around her younger version's small body. The young Faye wrapped her arms around her older version's nape and cradled the latter's head in her chest while saying, "I am no longer here… but I am here today, and I'll always be cheering for you right here… Cheering for you, my only self."

The older Faye's eyes widened. She knows those words. Those were the last words she said in that beta tape. The younger Faye loosened her arms and beamed at her older version. Everything around Faye started to blur and fade into white, including her younger self who was giving her a big wave and a grin was plastered to her young face.

"Faye!" another call.

"No! Please wait!" Faye tried to reach at her disappearing figure.

"Is there a wonderful person beside me?" The younger Faye's voice resonated and she answered her own question a few seconds later, sounding as if she was very sure of it…

"Yes."

"FAYE!"

* * *

Faye sat up with a start. She was panting and she clutched her chest—her heart raced. Her eyes were wide and her hands were shaking. She wiped the beads of sweat on her brow using her forearm but she also hit her wound.

"Ow!" she hissed as she ran a few fingers over the gauze on her temple. Oh yeah. She fell from her seat yesterday. Wait, was it yesterday? What date is it? What time is it?

Has she been sweating a lot? Because her face was also moist. She wiped the rest of her face with the back of her hands. No, they weren't sweat, she thought, they were tears—because more were coming down from her eyes.

"What is this…?" she murmured as she continued wiping her face with her hands.

Crying felt like an alien activity. When was the last time she cried anyway? Probably some time ago, but that was another case. Spike only watched her ministrations and he could tell she was confused. She probably hasn't cried in a long time.

"Are you okay?"

Faye almost jumped from her bed as she looked at her side. It was Spike, who looked bewildered.

"You seemed like you were having a nightmare, so I woke you up." Spike explained himself because Faye's surprised eyes seemed to ask what he was doing there, "You've been asleep for almost… let's say, 22 hours. I guess the sedative was pretty strong, so I had a bit of difficulty waking you up."

"I'm fine." Faye said as she sniffed and tried to calm down, "Just fine."

So he was the one who was calling her in that dream. Wait. She was still in the Bebop? Oh yeah. She was 'kidnapped'.

Spike was curious as to what had happened in her dream that had caused her to cry this much, so he asked, "What happened?"

"_Is there a wonderful person beside me?"_

Faye sighed as the voice of her younger self from that dream resonated in her head. Going back to Spike's question, what is she supposed to tell him? That she had lashed out all of her life's pains in that dream? Of course not. He held no position in her life to be told such sensitive information as that.

So she told him as she faced him with a blank expression on her face, "It's none of your business."

Right. Faye still had the right to be indifferent or to be angry with him. Spike had to hand it to her. He was in no place to complain why she was acting this way. After all, she was a woman with an attitude, right?

"_Is there a wonderful person beside me?"_

Spike spoke, "You've been asleep for technically two days—"

"Yes, thank you for extending my time in sleep again. And thank you, this time, it wasn't cold sleep." Faye rolled her eyes. Sarcasm was a language she was fluent in. But that sarcasm wasn't a result of what Spike was trying to say, rather, she said that to dismiss the voice resonating in her head. She pursed her dry lips together to moisten it with her tongue.

Spike dismissed the sarcasm and continued, "…so you've also hadn't eaten anything. I was going to ask you if I should just bring food in here or if you'd like to come with me in the kitchen."

"Well, I don't like to feel like a prisoner by staying in this room for however long you wish to keep me here," Faye answered as she swung her legs to the side of her bed, "so I'll take the latter."

"_Is there a wonderful person beside me?"_

She looked at Spike who had a signature smirk on his face. She watched him stand up and say, "It'll be just like the old times. Let's go."

Just like the old times eh? He speaks as if nothing ever happened—as if he never 'died', as if she never took off. Faye wobbled a bit as she got on her feet that she had to hold on to her dresser for support. Probably it was either because she hadn't been on her feet for two days or she hadn't eaten for two days, or both. Either way, she noticed the beer bottles on the dresser, including the one that hasn't been opened yet.

"You've been drinking in **my** room?" She asked as he opened the door.

"Watching you was boring me." Spike said as he turned to look over his shoulder and gave her a smug smirk before walking again.

Oh how she wished she could wipe that smile off his face. She also noticed a soiled gauze on the dresser. She touched the gauze on her forehead and it had soft, clean feel to it. It was fresh. Was he the one who did this?

"Hey let's go. I'm starving, too." Spike looked back again and saw her touching her wounded temple, "Problem?"

"_Is there a wonderful person beside me?"_

"None," Not that she was answering him, Faye was rather answering that annoying voice in her head and make it stop. Is Spike the wonderful person her younger self was talking about? 'The wonderful person that was destined for her, the one who was not yet born by the time she lived?'

She guessed not. Spike was meant for Julia and Julia alone. She knows that he loves Julia with all of his heart and soul—if he still had those until today. Julia was the reason why Spike was willing to risk his life two years ago. His love for Julia was very powerful. It hurts to admit it, but Faye had envied Julia because Spike loved her. Damn lucky woman! Spike was willing to betray his best friend, turn away from his life, and elope with Julia, yet what did she do? She wasted his love for her and he didn't deserve that! How Faye wished she was Julia. She wouldn't do what Julia did to Spike. Faye wouldn't be surprised if Spike loved Julia until now. He was the 'wonderful person' who was 'destined' for Julia. Julia had great luck coming her way, while Faye had it the other way around.

Therefore, Faye knew that this man beside her, or rather, in front of her, was not the 'wonderful person' who was 'destined' for her. Her eyes were downcast as she followed Spike to the kitchen. She wished he was who her younger self was mentioning in that dream, though. After all, Faye did, if not still, love Spike. He was the reason for the whirlwind of emotions she had from two years back. He was the reason why she had tried to escape it all. He was the reason why Faye Valentine became incognito and Patricia Stein surfaced, in order to turn away from her life as a bounty huntress. It was an unrequited love, she knows.

It's not like Spike was her first love. She had loved someone right after her cold sleep—his name was Witney Hagas Matsumoto. She still believed in romance then, but as it turned out, Witney was a sham. The next man she loved was Spike, and his heart was taken. Yes, she'd have to agree that she was 'chosen by the higher power' to be the 'most unluckiest (redundancy needed) person in the universe', while Julia was 'most favored'. Faye can never match up to that woman.

"_Why the hell am I still alive?"_ Faye thought to herself as she sighed inaudibly, _"Yes, I really wish I should've died. I'd rather die than live through all of this shit."_

Oh how she wished she had chosen suicide instead of running away two years ago. She would have been glad her hell of a life was over.

"_You are chosen because you are the strongest."_ The younger Faye's voice resonated again, _"Please stop running away. Nothing will be solved if you do."_

But then again, she no longer believes in fairytales. She believes in nightmares. Her life was a real nightmare. Faye stared at Spike's bare back, wishing that he just burned. She raked a hand through her hair in frustration. She didn't have a purpose to live, she realized. She was merely a shell, drifting into a universe that had nothing in store for her.

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Ana Volakis can be considered as Faye's archangel for granting her a new life in Deimos and had protected her ever since, however, there's also another archangel that you should know of—and he's a billionaire of a man. Who could this other archangel be? Ana finds an arch nemesis, too. Who is that arch nemesis? Could the other archangel be an arch nemesis?**

**Session 6: Archangel and Arch Nemesis**

**_"Do we have bounties on our heads now because we 'kidnapped' you, 'Patricia Stein'?"  
_****—Spike Spiegel**


	6. Archangel and Arch Nemesis

_**DEDICATION:**_ To my good friend **Lucky**, who downloaded the entire series for me, the movie too, the manga, all the music albums, the artbooks, and a whole lot of Cowboy Bebop pictures! That kept me going! Whew! I'll consider those as your graduation gift to me. Thanks buddy! :]

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_ We are **halfway** through the story! Yay! Thanks to all of you guys who've been reading this. I see this fic's stats and I know that a lot of people have been reading this. So to all of you anonymous readers out there, I **can** see you! But please leave a review this time? THANKS SO MUCH! :]

_**AUTHOR RECOMMENDS A FANTASTIC FIC!:**_ I know it's tough looking for new and interesting Cowboy Bebop fics nowadays since writers for it are now scarce. I recommend that you read **Bebop Blues by RedTailedSongbird**. It's a fantastic story, I tell you. Please do read it!

Okay, so without any further ado…

* * *

**(Session 6: Archangel and Arch Nemesis)**

"I commend you for your vigilance and immediate response on this one," said by a man clad in a black and white business suit, who appeared on the computer screen. He looked like he was in his thirties, yet he remained handsome. He had neatly-cut dull, dark gray hair. He also had a pair of wide-lens eyeglasses so his piercing violet almond-shaped eyes can see clearly. He sighed and nervously clasped his hands on his desk as he spoke once more in his deep but clear voice, "I wouldn't want a fuss about this. Thank you for taking this matter into your own hands, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I became very worried when you called two days ago, telling me she was missing."

"Authentically worried, Apollo?" said by a woman in front of the computer. This woman had fiery red, wavy hair, pulled up in a high ponytail. She looked like she was in her thirties as well, had a pretty face to match her violet eyes. She was clad in a plain white tee and blue jeans. She continued, "Or are you worried because she made you lose some important clients in the span of two days?"

Apollo sighed, "What do you make of me, Ana? Do you think I am that worried about profit? While she may be an asset to our business, we have others like her. I had those clients taken care of. Losing a few hundred thousand woolongs won't bring our business down."

Yes, the woman is Ana Volakis, the one who had 'kept' Faye—or rather, Patricia Stein in her care for almost two years. The man she was speaking with is Apollo Volakis, the CEO of the Deimos Corporate Development Group, or the Deimos Corp, in short. He (and his family) practically owns 70% of all businesses in Deimos. You read that right, Deimos—not just Metropolis, but the entirety of Deimos. The headquarters of this business empire is based in Metropolis, the capital city of Deimos.

Apollo's company also owns some security authorities, agencies, and networks that keep Deimos going, such as his company's partnership with the Gate Public Corporation to establish the Deimos Hyperspace Authority, which is responsible for keeping the hyperspace rings of Deimos secure by its tight control on foreigners and visitors, and the Metropolitan Watch, which is responsible for keeping residential areas safe and crime-free. The Deimos Corp is an empire of companies and partnerships with other interspace companies. Needless to say, Apollo's wealth has reached the point beyond comprehension.

Back to the topic. Ana rolled her eyes, "Just like how you paid her hefty amount of debt? It's almost 400 million woolongs. Yes, you've proven that fact—that losing a few woolongs, 400 million woolongs at that, won't bring our business down."

"Dearest cousin Ana!" Apollo exclaimed, "I'd pay for your debts if it reaches a billion, but I doubt you have any debts as we speak. We're family! The fact that you took her in and cared for her simply means you want her to be a part of our family. I wouldn't call those 400 million woolongs an immense expense, but rather, a goodwill investment for a future family member."

Ana placed her palm under her chin as she leaned back on her chair and replied, "Okaaaay Apollo. I rest my case about your philanthropy towards her and your authentic worries about her."

"I'm serious," Apollo pushed his eyeglasses up, "now, where is she?"

"I don't know." She lied. She knew where Patricia Stein is. She just didn't want him to meddle with this.

"Impossible," he told her, "you're an expert, if not the best in the universe, in corporate security and network administration, and **you don't know** where Patricia is?"

Ana scowled at that statement, "I'm her keeper, yes. But I'm not her mother."

"Well, what do you know thus far?" Apollo reached for what looked like a computer tablet and tapped on the screen. He seemed to be watching something, as Ana could tell with the moving reflections on his eyeglasses.

"That thing you're watching," Ana said as-a-matter-of-factly, "as I told you two days before, I tried calling Trish's phone and she wasn't answering. So I tried to track down her car since it is registered with a GPS tracking device. It was located on a freeway and I just hacked into the traffic cameras of that freeway and practically stole the videos. The damage control was necessary. As you've said, you don't want a fuss about this."

Apollo was watching the video playing on his tablet. It was a video of Patricia's car swiveling on the freeway. Then he watched as a MONO craft landed on the freeway. A man had approached the car. The man seemed to have talked with Patricia for a few minutes. After a while, the man had slung Patricia's seemingly unconscious body over his shoulder. The man put Patricia in his MONO craft's cockpit before hopping in and lifted off. The next video frame was taken by a different camera, showing that the MONO craft had flown quite a distance. Apollo tapped on the replay button and he looked puzzled by what had happened.

Ana sighed and continued talking, "I believe that the intelligence you hired had reported that they could not find this man. It appears that this man and his MONO craft were able to escape Deimos without being questioned by the Deimos Hyperspace Authority. I hacked into all of the cameras located at the different hyperspace rings of the Deimos. Apparently, the MONO craft in question did not even pass any of the hyperspace rings. The last time I checked these cameras was two hours ago."

"So it's either this man is still in Deimos or that there was a ship that he had docked into and managed to pass through the hyperspace rings." Apollo spoke.

"Yes."

"I believe there is something that you are not telling me, Ana." Apollo eyed his cousin, "I know so little of Patricia, and I would presume you'd know much more, including where she was from and who she was before you had introduced her to me."

Silence.

"…and I'd take that I'm right." Apollo sighed before giving Ana a comforting smile, "And I believe that you don't want me to interfere. I will respect that."

"Really?" Ana's eyes widened.

"Yes," Apollo nodded, "I always keep my word, don't I? I don't like a fuss, but I'm not the kind of person that would like to intrude another person's privacy, unless it concerns me, the family, or the corporation."

"Thank you, Apollo," Ana smiled back at her kind cousin.

"But please," he warned, "report to me from time to time and after this thing is over. Understand?"

Ana nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Oh and I was given news earlier that Patricia's car has been fully repaired. I'll ask the repair shop to deliver the car at her place. I had paid for all the repairs. Consider it a homecoming gift when she gets back." And after those words, Apollo went offline.

Apollo played the video again. He tapped on pause and zoomed in on the man who 'kidnapped' Patricia Stein. A few tweaks by tapping the options that had appeared on the corner of the tablet's screen, and the image was refined to reveal the face of the 'abductor'.

He placed his tablet on his desk. He crouched to reach the last drawer on his desk. The drawer had a biometric lock to it, so he pressed his thumb on the scanner. After his thumbprint was recognized, a click was heard and he pulled open the drawer. In it were a gun, a few old documents, and what seemed like a black organizer. Apollo took the black organizer and flipped through the pages to find a picture of the 'abductor' and a silver-haired man. The 'abductor' had his arm around the other man's neck as he smiled a cheeky grin. The other man didn't look too happy, though. They were both clad in business suits with a coat that had a small gold chain adorned across their chests.

Apollo took the picture from the organizer and glanced at the zoomed image on his tablet once more. They seem to be one person.

"Spike Spiegel," Apollo whispered to himself and smirked, "what a coincidence. It's a small world, or rather, universe. Looking forward to seeing you soon."

The picture that Apollo held was that of Spike and Vicious. It seemed like it had been taken during their earlier times in the Red Dragon Syndicate.

* * *

Ana sighed as she sank to her chair. She was thankful that her cousin, even though he was intimidating, meticulous, and watchful, he still remained to be a very kind and honest man.

Behind his corporate façade, Apollo was truly a philanthropist. Ana used to have assisted auditors with tracking the Deimos Corp's expenses, and found out that the corporation had spent millions on 'corporate responsibilities' and other charitable acts. Ana and a team of auditors had also tracked the major expenses of Apollo Volakis. They found out that he hit several hundred million woolongs for his charitable donations in different planets and satellites—including the one he spent on paying Patricia Stein's debts for her cryogenic preservation and other medical expenses. He also didn't like collecting fancy cars or MONO crafts, nor did he have any vice. He owns three houses though—one was his home, one was a guest house, and one was a vacation estate. He possibly splurged a lot on that vacation estate, but that was probably it. When he is free from work, he visits that estate and spends a lot of time…asleep, if not eating or goofing around. Apollo's immense inherited wealth makes him a very powerful man, but he doesn't seem to realize this, or rather, he doesn't want to take advantage of it.

Ana knows where Patricia was. She's aware that Patricia was onboard the Bebop. The Bebop crew seemed to be persistent with finding her, especially that Spike Spiegel, the one whom Patricia had mentioned a lot. Perhaps this time, Patricia can no longer run away. She trusts that Patricia will return no matter what—it doesn't matter if whatever the Bebop had to do with her went out well or not. She is definite that Patricia will see her again. Ana hopes it will be soon, though. See, Apollo is a vigilant man, though not as vigilant as Ana is. He likes to look after the people who work for him. Ana remembers that time when one of Apollo's associates had gone missing, he had hired several intelligences to work for him and through them, he found that associate had been kidnapped by some small-time syndicate and brought the associate back to Deimos, five days after he had gone.

So Ana hopes Patricia comes home before Apollo finds a way to know where Patricia was. He might take this matter into his own hands and will make Patricia go home by his means. Ana has to find Patricia first. She has to outwit and outsmart Apollo.

"TRACKING FAILED." An electronic female voice sounded from a room in Ana's home.

Ana clicked on her tongue while she slammed her fist on the table, hissing, "Goddamn it!"

She stood up and walked up to a hallway wherein a painting was mounted on the wall. It was eight feet tall and five feet wide. It was a painting of a geisha, whose pink kimono had fallen to her shoulders and her hair was disheveled from its usual up-do and was seemingly dancing with the sakura petals in the wind. The geisha was unsheathing a katana at her side.

Ana took out what seemed like a card from her back pocket and swiped it on the right side of the painting.

"Welcome," The same electronic voice sounded.

Ana stepped back and the painting slid off to the left, allowing her to enter a secret room. Green lasers shone on Ana's face.

"Confirmed identity, Ana Volakis." The electronic voice said.

The secret door slid back to its place while Ana pocketed her card and stared at the monitors. In front of her were what seemed to be 30 widescreen monitors. About 10 of them had blinking red signs that say 'tracking failed', while the other monitors seemed to be doing something else.

"Sofia, status on tracking." Ana commanded.

**(_A/N:_ I guess it's safe to assume that voice command is exceptional in this story's timeframe. If, after all, today, we already have Siri, who doesn't seem to be pretty bad, but has a lot of limitations. Sofia, by the way, means 'wisdom'. I think that name is fitting for an intelligent computer system.)**

"Tracking of Patricia Stein's phone failed. Tracking of all possible solar system internet address for 'Bebop' failed."

"Sofia, failure report on tracking," Ana told the intelligent computer system named Sofia.

"Failed to track Patricia Stein's phone. It is possible that Patricia Stein's phone is turned off, is on empty battery, or is beyond network coverage area. End of failure report on tracking Patricia Stein's phone." Sofia answered, "Failure to track 'Bebop'. It is possible that we are looking for a solar system internet address that contains a string or a variable that does not exist. Please make sure that the string and/or the variable are spelled correctly, or please try a specific solar system internet address. End of failure report on tracking 'Bebop'."

Ana facepalmed. She had received this intelligent computer system as a gift from someone, and improved it by having developed this advanced tracking system on her own. It is possible that she had created the most advanced tracking system in the universe, with no intentions to commercialize such. This was her baby. And even her intelligent baby is incapable of hunting down where Patricia was or where the Bebop was.

Ana remembers now, about that girl that Patricia had told her about. There was an eccentric girl onboard the Bebop whose name was Ed. She is a computer geek and plays important roles in fishing for information on their bounties. Patricia mentioned that Ed was an expert hacker. Well, if that seemed so, then Ana would not allow herself to be beaten by any computer genius, most definitely not in the likes of a child as Ed. Ana, after all, is a doctor of computer engineering, a prodigy of network administration, a phenom computer programmer. Her brains and skills in computers are widely recognized in this side of the universe.

"Sofia, let's try this again." Ana sighed as she sat down and began typing, "I'm setting the parameters. Resume tracking once I'm done."

Sofia answered, "Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

There was an awkward silence between Spike and Faye as they sat by the kitchen counter and ate their food. It was some sort of spicy canned chicken strips and they ate instant mashed potatoes with it.

Faye hadn't said much aside sarcastically thanking Spike when he had handed her the food earlier. She didn't even bother to look up at him. They were seated across each other and she busied herself with eating. On the other hand, Spike glanced at her from time to time, in hopes of catching her at least glancing at him. Hey, wasn't that supposed to be the normal thing to do if you're eating across someone? You'd glance at them while you chewed away and if they did catch your glance, it's your cue to start a conversation. Well, this wasn't happening. The silence around them made Spike think that there was something wrong. Was it that dream she had earlier?

"I'd take that you had a nightmare earlier?" Spike tried to initiate a conversation.

"Well, didn't I say that it's none of your business?" Faye replied, without bothering to look at him.

"Was it really that bad?" Spike persisted, "I mean, you were sleep-talking, then you were crying, and it took some time before I was able to wake you up."

Wait. So it was Spike who kept calling her while she dreamed? And, "I was sleep-talking?" Faye asked, finally looking up.

Spike smirked as she looked up, "Hell yeah."

"What was I saying?"

"Let's have a trade-off. I'll tell you what you were saying if you tell me what you dreamt about." Spike offered.

Faye rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Ugh, forget I even asked."

Oh yeah, way to go, cowboy. Spike blew up that conversation. He needs another topic, quick.

"I didn't know you were really good with playing hide and seek," Spike said, "It really took us quite a while before we found you."

"Well, I wasn't playing hide and seek. I was playing hide and never to be seen again." Faye replied, "Just how did you find me anyway?"

Jackpot! A conversation!

"Intensive research, of course." He answered, "That's A LOT of research. Like you were some sort of big bounty. And yes, I have to hand it to 'ya. Man can you hide! You practically erased all your records in the solar system web, cleared all accounts that had your name on it, and never used your name again in transactions that involved giving your name."

"Hence the question, Spike." Faye eyed him, "I did all that basically to 'disappear without a trace', yet you managed to find me. And you managed to even know Ana Volakis, of all people! **And** enter Deimos! So how is it possible that you were able to track me, my good friend Ana, and enter a satellite universally known as having the tightest security in the solar system?"

Spike just shrugged his shoulders and still had that signature smirk on his face. Faye sighed, "And do you know how much trouble you're possibly in right now?"

Spike snickered, "Really? Do we have bounties on our heads now because we 'kidnapped' you, 'Patricia Stein'?"

"I'm serious," Faye looked at him, "I think you should've done more research about Deimos and Ana Volakis, or me for being Patricia Stein, for that matter. You just don't know who else you're up against."

"Oh, that frightens me." Spike sarcastically said as he played with the fork with his fingers, "Do tell me."

"Spike-person! Jet-person!" Ed suddenly called out from the common room. She's still awake at this hour?

* * *

"IDENTIFIED SEARCH." Sofia reported to Ana who was typing away, "NETWORK HIJACK FAILED."

"What the fuck," Ana hissed as she rubbed her eyes. She began typing again and commanded, "Sofia, hack with these new set of parameters.

"NETWORK HIJACK FAILED." Sofia replied after loading the parameters.

"Bullshit!" Ana pounded her fist on her chair's armrest, "Sofia, report on hacking!"

"Failed to breach identified search's network. It is possible that the network settings are being changed during the breach attempt. End of failure report on breaching identified search's network."

As Ana sunk to her chair, several of the screens started blinking red with the warning, "SYSTEM OVERWRITE."

"Sofia, what is happening?" Ana jumped to her feet, her swivel chair rolling a few feet backwards.

"Ana, someone has breached into our network." Sofia reported.

"Sofia, track the hacker while she is breaching into our network!" Ana commanded. She knew that this was probably Ed's doing.

A few yellow smileys with different expressions started going up the screens.

"TRACKING FAILED." Sofia said.

Then, all screens went black.

"Shit!" Ana hissed as she tried to reboot her system. It didn't work. All of Sofia's systems were down. Even the backup system was fried.

The screens flickered once again and whiteness filled the room.

"Welcome, I am Sofia, your intelligent computer system." Sofia's voice was back, "What can I do for you today?"

Ana's eyes narrowed. That was what Sofia said when she was first booted up. And that was some time ago.

Ana quickly typed and a dialogue box came up, indicating her previous network attempts.

"Mother of God…" she gaped and was frozen.

All her search attempts for Patricia Stein, the Bebop, and all the parameters she had set for the network breach earlier—were gone.

Her system had been hacked and the hacker cleared all attempts to look for Patricia and the Bebop.

Ana can now conclude that she has indeed found a worthy arch nemesis. And that arch nemesis' name is Edward of the Bebop.

* * *

Ed took off her goggles and sprawled herself on the common room's floor. Jet and Spike only looked down at her, while Ein strut his way and licked Ed's cheek.

"What happened, Ed?" Jet asked Ed, who now looked very tired from all the rigorous typing she had done earlier.

"Someone was trying to hack into Tomato and Bebop's network," Ed told Jet, "this person was able to identify Bebop's network address and tried to breach it."

Faye walked into the common room but none of them seemed to notice.

"How is that possible, Ed? Hadn't you fortified our network?" Jet asked. Spike has no idea what they were talking about. What he understood was that someone tried to hack into their network. That was it. Since Jet was an ex-cop, it's possible that he has an idea on what Ed's troubles were.

"Ed did!" Ed replied and rolled onto her stomach to face the two men. Ein yipped from the sudden movement of his master, so he just on where he once stood. Ed continued, "But it looks like the hacker was able to do the attempt with the help of an intelligent computer system. That makes hacking a lot faster, even faster than Tomato. Ed and Tomato was able to stop it."

Ed then sat up and finally noticed Faye. Ed continued, "Ed was able to breach into the hacker's network. Ed found out that the hacker has been trying to look for 'Patricia Stein' and the Bebop's network for two days. Ed cleared its search catalogue so the hacker will have to take some time to do another attempt."

"I told you, you don't know who you were up against." Faye spoke, making the two men notice her, but she was particularly eyeing Spike.

"Okay, so who is it that we're up against." Spike looked at Faye.

"Anatolia Soleil Bradamante Volakis," Faye replied.

"The Ana Volakis you were talking about?" Spike asked.

"Yes—"

"Found her profile!" Ed answered. When did she begin typing again?

A profile of Ana Volakis went up the screen. Jet and Spike took a closer look.

"A computer engineer who finished a doctorate degree at the prestigious Interspace Institute of Science and Technology in Venus," Jet read on, "Senior executive vice president and also the systems, network, and security operations chief of the Deimos Corporate Development Group, a multi-billion business empire set in Deimos. The CEO of the Deimos Corp is her first cousin, Apollo Bismarck Tristan Volakis. The Volakis family is considered to be the wealthiest family in Deimos, and ranks third wealthiest family in the universe. Ana ranks second wealthiest family member of the Volakis household, with several billions of net worth difference between her and Apollo, who ranks first."

"In short, you're going up against a billionaire of a computer genius who would stop at nothing." Faye told them, "I bet Ana has been looking for me since you took me away from Deimos."

"And how did you end up acquiring her support just like that?" Spike asked.

Faye could only smirk as the memories of two years back flooded in her mind, as she answered, "Hard luck. I guess some sort of wind told me I had quite a chain of bad luck in my life that I needed this one lucky break…and it surely was."

Spike and Jet blinked at her.

"If I were you 'kidnappers' against Ana Volakis, I'd take all the precautions and make sure that my network is safe 24/7." Faye then smiled; it seemed like a sad smile though, "Because even if Ana fails to find me, Apollo will and **can** find me. I'm sure that Ana had told him I'm missing. Apollo can easily hire high-end private investigators to look for me, that is, if he becomes impatient with Ana's progress."

"And why would this Apollo look for you? Isn't he just Ana's cousin?" Spike quirked an eyebrow at her.

"You really didn't do **enough** intensive research on me as Patricia Stein, see." Faye snickered and continued giving a sad smile, "Apollo looks after me as well, because he wants me to become a Volakis. You have 'kidnapped' a future addition to his family."

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Sometimes she wakes up by the door. That heart he caught must be waiting for him. Even now, when they're already over (although there was no 'them' in the first place), she can't help herself from looking for him. She set fire to the rain and she threw them into the flames. Well, it felt something died because she knew that that was the last time, the last time.**

**It was a song that changed her life. It was _her_ song, _her_ story.**

**Session 7: Set Fire to the Rain**

"_**Let every raindrop burn and scorch your body and your soul while you cry your heart out."  
**_—**Patricia Stein**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Oooh, **who** is Apollo Volakis and just **why **does he have a picture of Spike and Vicious? Does he have anything to do with the Red Dragons? Haha. You'll see as the story unfolds soon.

You do know that I **can** see the traffic statistics for this fanfiction, right? So please, while I'm thankful that you're reading this, I'll be **beyond** glad to see your review. I welcome both praises and constructive criticisms.

**PLEASE REVIEW! :]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	7. Set Fire to the Rain

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ Apparently, I don't own Cowboy Bebop. My name isn't Shinichiro Watanabe. And it's odd that Microsoft Word didn't underline his name when I typed that. I guess Microsoft had his name remembered. Genius of a man, who created the original story for this. Oh geez, I don't own Microsoft, either. I'm not Bill Gates. And no, I don't own Set Fire to the Rain. My name is nowhere near Adele Adkins. I'm not Japanese, I'm not American, and I'm not British. Longest disclaimer I wrote. :3

_**DEDICATION:**_ To my good friend **Lucky**, who downloaded the entire series for me, the movie too, the manga, all the music albums, the artbooks, and a whole lot of Cowboy Bebop pictures! That kept me going! And I finished writing this because of your kindness! Yay! :]

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_ Well, I must admit, this chapter is both boring and interesting. I won't spoil the fun and tell you what it's about, but all I can say is that **you have to use a very strong imagination** while you're reading this. It's mostly descriptive. Aaaaand! Please don't forget to **listen to the song **_**'Set Fire to the Rain'**_by the lovely **Adele** to set the mood. Please believe me when I say this, but you **will feel** the song. :]

Okay, leggo!

* * *

**(Session 7: Set Fire to the Rain)**

Our feature spread in this month's edition of Lifestyle Insider is Patricia Stein, a 25-year-old rookie and interspace-acclaimed fashion, society, and ads photographer. She currently resides in Deimos, and she keeps a close friendship with none other than the highest of that moon's high society—Ana Volakis, doctor of computer engineering and the senior executive vice president of the Deimos Corporate Development Group (Deimos Corp), and first cousin of none other than Apollo Volakis, himself, the CEO of the Deimos Corp. If she's friends with a person of that social status, then we should all know that Miss Stein is a no-nonsense person. And this is likewise, very true. Many, if not all of her clients, rate her works with the highest satisfaction. Different established fashion brands such as Shisheido, Prada, Fendi, Michael Kors, to name a few, even told us that she "shot stunning photos in every frame", making which shot to use a very difficult decision to make for these fashion giants.

Stein, is the most talked about champion of last year's United Interspace Photographers Association's 2072 Photography Challenge, of which had helped skyrocket her career as a photographer. Her winning work has stunned the interspace audience and stirred the solar system web. That single photo was entitled, _"Set Fire to the Rain"_, named after one of her favorite classics from an artist named Adele, an Earthling, who sang the song six decades ago. Patricia Stein reportedly says that she is fond of music from Earth, some even date as far as 1980's.

According to Stein, she had been listening to the said song non-stop a week before the photo was taken and even during the trip to Earth, where she took this picture. She had researched the place to take the shoot, saying that she was looking for a real thunderstorm, in the "very place where humans once knew thunderstorms by heart and by soul." Stein said that there were no thunderstorms like those on Earth—beautiful and scary at the same time.

The picture was taken sideways, displaying a woman in a white maxi dress, some of which clung to her body, some flowed with the strong gust of wind—her long, blonde hair also did the same, since it seemed to be raining very hard in the picture. The woman has a beautiful face, but she had her eyes shut and her face contorted with an emotion that seemed like a mixture of anger, sadness, and pain. The woman had her right hand clutching the fabric against her chest, while the left hand seemed to be hugging her own frame tightly. She was in a striding position, with one knee bent slightly forward.

But what made this picture breathtaking was the timing of the shot and the scenery to match the anguish that the woman had displayed. The skies were dangerously dark gray, with several lightning strikes appeared by the horizon and in the skies nearby the cliff where the woman stood. She stood barefoot on the wet, wild, green grass, and she screamed as if beckoning the sea to crash its waves on the cliff rocks below, angry white splashes of water also beating the walls of the cliff beside the one where she stood. The sea seemed to sympathize with the woman as it had more angry waves to come at the rocks and the cliff wall. Moreover, three meteorites from the Earth's ever-deteriorating moon could be seen ablaze as it coursed through the atmosphere across the far-off horizon.

The woman was angry while the skies and the seas were equally angry. The beautiful woman in a white dress seemed to look like a brokenhearted goddess, who had released her powers unintentionally, wreaking havoc to her surroundings. The title of the picture had suited it very well. And it was a mess, a beautiful mess. A masterpiece.

Click here to see the video taken by Nikolaus Schneid, Miss Stein's set documenter during the 2072 Photography Challenge.

* * *

Spike could only stare at the screen for a very, very long time; his mouth seemed to be a bit agape. The picture was really, really, beautiful. In fact, beautiful was an understatement. It was majestic beyond words. The emotion in the picture gripped the hearts of those who looked at it. He can feel the emotion seeping out in the picture, seemingly flooding his mind and his body.

Spike, who didn't have any sleep because of last night's events, was completely bored earlier. So he decided to borrow one of Ed's laptops (she acquired laptops in two years) and to do a little read on Faye—who was also Patricia Stein. After all, she kept saying that they don't know her new identity enough. Now, Spike had never done this before, as it was Ed and Jet who did the research to trace Faye.

Since the Bebop is now encountering a network threat from Ana Volakis, Ed had the laptop's network tightly secured before she lent it to Spike, just to make sure that, it would be close to impossible for Ana to do a network breach. While Spike was spending his time on the net in his bedroom, Jet and Ed were busy securing the other networks that they had on the Bebop, changing their solar system address every now and then—as to how, only Ed knows. Faye? Faye was asleep in her room throughout the day.

It was late evening on the Bebop, as he looked at the clock. For the entire day, he was stuck on the laptop, trying to look for bounties, visiting comic sites, and then this. He read this article on Patricia Stein. He was now convinced that she was indeed famous. And for once, now he had told himself that Faye was not only good in gambling, but in photography.

He clicked on the video on the website.

* * *

The video started with a zoom in on the photography challenge's invitation addressed to Patricia Stein. The invitation went down and the camera blurred. The focus was adjusted and Patricia could be seen, wearing a pair of wireless Bluetooth earphones and singing at a low volume, mostly to herself, the song that was inspiring her to do this shoot. She was changing the lens of her DSLR camera.

Spike smiled to this as he remembered a certain memory. _"You sing off-key."_

"Ready for the shoot?" the cameraman asked.

Patricia turned her head to the direction of the cameraman and smiled. She removed one of her earphones and held it while she was changing the settings of her camera.

"Don't know, Nick. I'm rather nervous today," Patricia replied as she finished with her camera and placed the strap around her neck.

The camera followed her to the opening of the temporary tent that they had put up on the location. She pulled the waterproof material of the tent and peeked outside. It seemed like she was looking up.

(_**A/N:**_** The tent here is not the camping tent we know of, but those big tents that can be found in outdoor bazaars, outdoor receptions, and other whatnots. The tent is usually sturdy and big, and is made of white waterproof material.**)

She walked past Nick, the cameraman, who told her, "You do seem nervous."

Patricia turned around and scratched her nape and smiled nervously, "Well, it's my first time to join such a big competition." She pulled out the remaining earphone and then grabbed her phone, tapping on its screen, probably to turn off the music, as she continued, "Other competitors out there are pros. I saw some big names, you know. Some of them are already renowned photographers by their own rights, like the other one, the grandson of the great Nigel Barker, a famous photographer here in Earth some several decades back. And some of them are runners-up in the challenges of previous years. Some of them may probably have more equipment than I do. Some of them even have more crew than I do."

Patricia pocketed her phone and started walking again, "So what's a rookie like me have against them? I only started out a few months ago, thanks a lot to the boost given by the Deimos Corp."

They were now approaching the model seated on a chair, her hair being set by a person while another person applies makeup on her face.

Nick spoke again, "And where did you get the inspiration for this shoot?"

"From a very, very old song." Patricia poked at the lens of Nick's camera, "Set Fire to the Rain, by Adele. I don't know if any of you would know it, but it's worth listening to. I've been addicted to it for several weeks now."

Patricia sat down on a bench where some of their things were placed. She was taking sample shots of her model.

"That's what you were playing in your phone a while ago?" Nick inquired.

"Yes, and during the flight to get here, too." Patricia reached for a remote control beside her and pointed it at the direction of some speakers and the song that she mentioned started playing, "Here's the song."

"And while that's going on, who is this beautiful lady?" Nick asked, panning the camera to zoom in the face of the model.

Spike hit pause and looked at the woman. For once he thought that she was, _"Julia…?"_ But no. The model's hair color was of a lighter blonde, and her face is pretty, but not as divine as Julia. Spike shook out of his reverie and hit play.

"Nick, this is Fresca Harper," Patricia introduced, "and she will be our model for today."

Fresca waved at the camera and giggled, "I'm really nervous for this."

"Aww, don't be. It's gonna be great! Hey, they really don't want to do so much to your hair, now do they?" Nick mentioned, "I mean, when it starts to rain later, it'll just be in a mess."

"I'm just setting the waves of Fresca's hair nicely, so that the waves go in similar directions," the hairstylist explained, "And I'm applying some waterproof emulsion for the hair. So the hair won't absorb as much water as usual and it can easily flow with the wind later during the shoot."

Patricia's voice was heard in the background, "Fresca won't be in a mess that I want her in if that storm is not coming on time. And if it won't come, I'm backing out from the competition."

"Aww, don't do that," Fresca tossed her hand up, "we can try something else, you know. It's a waste of effort if you just back out because a storm didn't come."

"Waste of effort?" the camera panned to Patricia's direction, "More like I also wasted a lot of money—Deimos Corp's money."

Patricia stood up and picked up one set of eye shadow palettes, "This." Then she pointed at the other makeup items, "That and that. All of those are new…and I bought them exclusively for this shoot only. Now why do I have to buy them?"

The makeup artist picked up the bronzer and started applying it on Fresca's face, while saying, "Because they're waterproof. If we used regular makeup for this shoot, and it rains, her face will come down in melted colors and ruin it all for you."

"Exactly! Please emphasize on her eyes. Make it smoky, but not too dark." Patricia said as her fingers ghosted over Fresca's eyes while the makeup artist paused and nodded. Patricia went back to sit on the bench and checked the time on her phone, "The forecast said it should be raining here anytime now. Ohh, why is it not raining yet?"

The camera panned to Fresca's direction and Nick queried, "Hey Fresca, is this your first time on Earth?"

Fresca nodded and snickered, making her face prettier, "This is the first time I'll do this kind of photoshoot...especially in Earth, of all places! I'm both nervous and excited!"

"Who else here is new to Earth, raise your hand." Nick said.

Both the hairstylist and the makeup artist raised their hands momentarily, snickering while they did, and went back to tending to Fresca's image.

The camera went back to Patricia who seemed to be texting someone as she tapped away at her phone.

"Aaaand, the Earth veteran here is none other than Patricia Stein!" Nick exclaimed.

Patricia smiled at Nick's direction and shook her head, "It used to be the only planet habitable, you know. I mean, come on. No planet can still come close to Earth's wonders. It's sad that its own moon had done this to its planet."

The camera zoomed in on Patricia's equally pretty face and Nick's voice was heard, "So how often do you frequent this place?"

Patricia stopped tapping at her phone and looked up, thinking, before answering, "I visited Earth a lot last year. I stayed here for around two weeks in August of last year. Then, I did once every month or every two months after. As long as I have time. I'm travelling a different continent on every visit."

"And for the purposes of this shoot, how many times did you frequent Earth to secure this location?"

"Oh, I only visited Earth twice this month, making this shoot the third visit. I was doing research on scenic places and made a shortlist of places to visit, tagging its coordinates, just so I won't get lost." Patricia answered, "I discovered this location on the second visit, which was like, a week ago, I guess. And I checked the weather forecasts of every location, and I was lucky that the forecast said that a storm will be here today. So that's what got us here."

"You flew by yourself?"

"Yeah, I know how to pilot a MONO craft anyway," Patricia replied.

"So what's your MONO craft?"

"_Red Tail."_ Spike answered in his head.

"I forgot what it's called. It's a commercial MONO craft that you can rent. Wait," Patricia held her chin in thought and recalled, "Ah! I think it's a Cruiser IV."

Spike frowned a bit at that.

Nick whistled, "Well, aren't you a speed junkie."

Patricia raised an eyebrow and had a mischievous smile on her face, "I have a need for speed. I just love the adrenaline rush whenever I push the pedal and accelerate."

That statement made Spike smile. She didn't change that part of her.

"So as you've mentioned earlier, other photographers might have more crews. For the purposes of this documentation, can you tell us how many crew members you have?" Nick asked.

Patricia replied, "Well, there's you, the official documenter from the organization, Fresca, the hairstylist, the makeup artist, I also have a lightsman outside, and I also have two location assistants who had helped set up this tent and all our things here. If we are to include the MONO carrier pilot, then I guess that'll make us nine, myself included."

"And who paid for all these?" Nick said in a sing-song voice.

Patricia replied in an equally sing-song voice, "I would like to thank my sponsor for this shoot, Deimos Corp. I promise you that I'll try my very best for this shoot!"

The speakers boomed with the final chorus of the song:

_I set fire to the rain  
__Watched it pour as I touched your face  
__Well, it burned while I cried  
_'_Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name_

_I set fire to the rain  
__And I threw us into the flames  
__Well, it felt something died  
_'_Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time_

_Ohh, Oh no…  
__Let it burn, ohh…  
__Let it burn—  
__Let it burn—_

"Wow, that is a beautiful song." The hairstylist seemed honest with what she said as she had this look of amazement on her face.

Fresca nodded, "Yes, I was also listening to this song because Patricia asked me to reflect on the song and to 'feel' the message of the song. I think it was very compelling, what a wonderful song. I got addicted to it, too. I never knew that a beautiful song like this had existed several decades ago."

Spike became very amused. If they only knew Faye's real age, it would become a very good explanation as to why she was so fond of old songs. …But there's something about that song. He **felt** the words. And it… stung? Well yeah, maybe that's just how the song is supposed to be. He shrugged off the feeling.

A bright flash.

A clap of thunder echoed.

Everyone in the camera was caught frozen, silently looking up at the tent's ceiling which showed bright flashes of lightning against the tent material, while loud and deep rumbles of thunder ensued thereafter.

Fresca placed a hand to her chest and her nervous snicker broke the silence, "Now I understand when you said that thunderstorms here are scary, Patricia. That thunder sounded like it's very near. I think I felt the ground shake, too."

Patricia looked very happy and as she paced to the tent's opening, poking her head out to look at the clouds again, while replying, "Don't worry, those were just the sound waves hitting the ground, it's not an earthquake. Thunders here are very powerful."

A bright flash of lightning appeared, immediately followed by a cracking boom of thunder, almost making the Earth first-timers' hearts stop at the powerful sound.

Patricia held Nick's camera to pan it so close to her face, displaying a giddy woman who said, "Did you hear that? That's our cue! It's showtime!"

Spike hit pause and he was absent-mindedly grinning at Faye's childlike happiness. Could it be that she is this happy because this was her first time to feel an Earth thunderstorm again after several decades? Probably, he mused, her whole being was yearning for a phenomenon that only happens in her home planet, and she missed it badly.

The next scene was already outdoors. Patricia guided Fresca to stand on the edge of the cliff. Fresca held onto Patricia's hand tightly, as the former seemed nervous. Fresca's other hand clutched to her chest when she saw how high the cliff was. If she was to fall, she will fall to her immediate death.

It was raining hard. Spike could tell because of the loud pitter-patter on Nick's camera, the sound of an angry sea with its waves crashing below, and the tandem bursts of lightning and rumbles of thunder every now and then.

"You'll be fine!" Patricia assured Fresca who was still obviously nervous. Patricia fixed Fresca's wet blonde hair since it clung to her neck, face, and shoulders in a way that her beauty diminished. She pushed her hair back, tucked it behind her ears, and some, she draped over her shoulders.

"Hey Pat!" Nick shouted. Well, because it was difficult to hear anyone with the strong winds that seemed to be howling, the sound of the waves crashing below, the hard rain, and the frequent claps of thunder.

Patricia was now fixing the way Fresca's white dress clung to her body. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to wear a raincoat? Or at least a poncho? You have one back here!" Nick hollered.

Patricia looked at Nick's direction and smiled as she yelled, "Hell no! If my model is out here freezing and drenching under the rain, then I should go through the same thing, too! And besides! Getting soaked in the rain is fun!"

Spike grinned at Faye's reply. He also took notice of how Faye's clothes hugged her body. That body was still what many red-blooded men would die for. But Spike was not a red-blooded man. He just knew how to appreciate beauty, that's all. With how conservative she clothes herself now, Faye didn't need to undress to show that she was sexy—it leaves a lot to the imagination. The way her violet hair turned almost black and stuck to her face and neck due to the rain, the way her white and red striped shirt hugged her every curves, the way the edges of her bra can be traced on her shirt, and with the way her tight blue jeans stuck to her rear and legs—hot damn gorgeous. This could've been close to watching soft porn!

"Let's have those lights now!" Patricia told her lightsman.

The lights were turned on, which gave off an almost natural glow to the scene. The lights didn't seem too overpowering, though. Patricia would need some light if she wanted to get a great image, and as she had predicted, it would be pretty dark during the thunderstorm. So she had planned ahead that she would need a consistent light source.

Patricia had asked her model now to stride and bend one knee forward. She had also directed how Fresca's body should be angled, and how she should bend at the waist. She had given Fresca reminders to keep her head at a certain angle and do not have it lowered. Patricia took Fresca's arms and instructed her on where to put them. Patricia took several steps back and approached Fresca again to fix her hair and her dress.

"Try to have the song in your head." Patricia shouted her instructions, while Fresca didn't nod to keep the angle of her head the way Patricia wanted it to be, "**Feel** the song. **Feel** the anger, the sadness, the anguish, and the defeat. Imagine you were that woman in the song. Imagine that you were not to see the guy again. You loved that man with all your heart, and yet you can't have him—"

Patricia's voice seemed to have cracked. She just made it look like she swallowed some rain and just wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, to no avail. Her entire body was soaked in the rain. But in reality, something ached in her heart. The reason why she loved the song so much was because she could relate with it. The agony emitted by the song reflects hers.

"You have to feel lost, you have to feel broken. You lost the only man you loved." Patricia continued, "And it was raining. Like this. It's like nature is equally angry for what the love of your life did to you. So you cried, you **wailed**, you let yourself become **one** with nature."

Fresca closed her eyes and her face contorted. Patricia smiled. She was getting what she wanted.

"When I say action, shout. Shout anything. Just shout. Feel **hurt**. Let all that hurt go. Set fire to the rain. Let every raindrop burn and scorch your body and your soul while you cry your heart out." Patricia instructed as she made a few steps back and swiped the tripod she set nearby. She secured her camera on the tripod. She glanced in her camera's viewfinder. She took a few steps backward, taking the camera and the tripod with her. She glanced at her camera's viewfinder as she adjusted her lens zoom and her camera's focus.

"Let's make history, baby!" Patricia shouted as she raised her free arm to signal the lightsman to be on standby.

The crew cheered her on, Nick, the makeup artist, the stylist, the lightsman, and the location assistants.

Patricia now had both of her arms on her camera and shouted, "ACTION!"

Fresca started shouting, wailing, and she seemed like she was really crying. The lights flashed with every click Patricia made on her camera. She yelled instructions and praises every now and then at Fresca.

Nick panned his camera to the left of the horizon and zoomed in, "Holy shit! Are those meteorites?" Nick panned out the camera and went back to documenting the shoot.

After a few minutes, Patricia called it a wrap. She and Fresca did some weird random dancing while the makeup artist and the stylist approached them to give them their ponchos and escorted them back inside the tent.

Spike hit the video's seek backwards and replayed the dance that Faye and Fresca did. He could almost laugh at how silly that was. Faye never looked so free. It's probably only in this video that he saw her laughing and not be sarcastic at anybody. She was living a life. Faye was… happy—perhaps authentically happy and contented, at that. Spike contemplated. Maybe, she had truly rediscovered herself. Maybe, this was really where she belonged.

The hairstylist was toweling down Patricia, while the makeup artist toweled down Fresca. Patricia clutched the poncho tighter on her shivering body while she was smiling as she used her other hand to check the pictures she took from her camera.

"My God, Pat! Look at you! You're freezing!" Nick exclaimed as he reached for her hand that was holding her camera and put it in his camera's view to show that her arm was shaking. His camera also closed up on her face that turned pale white in the cold, her red lips chattering, while her hair was dripping, and there were still droplets on her face.

Patricia sighed in happiness and showed the pictures she took at Nick's camera, that one with the meteorites on the horizon.

"Now that," Patricia smiled at the camera, "is uncalled for. Please folks, these pictures are not photoshopped. Nothing gets close to the real deal." Patricia laughed triumphantly as she viewed more pictures.

"You didn't know that meteorites were gonna go down today?" Nick asked.

"Of course not. Anyway, meteorites from the moon are not predictable, so it happens. But I totally didn't expect that to happen today. I guess we were extra lucky!"

Patricia paced her way to Fresca, while the hairstylist chased after her with towels. She showed Fresca the pictures and all Fresca could do was gape at the pictures. She was also surprised with herself.

* * *

The documentation was necessary and is clearly stated in the Photography Challenge's guidelines, to keep honesty and vigilance on every contestant's work, and to assure that no human or animal rights were violated by the challengers. The documenter chosen by each contestant must be duly recognized by the organization. No documentation of the challenge is equivalent to disqualification of the contestant.

Stein won 15 million woolongs as the grand prize winner. She had also earned 10 working contracts with leading interspace advertising agencies. She was given two new DSLR cameras by Nikon Interspace, along with sets of assorted lenses. Aside from that, she won herself a spread in three leading interspace magazines for her work. In an interview with Stein, she said that she will be managed by Deimos Corp, which had sponsored her shoot for the challenge. She also confirmed the previous rumors that Deimos Corp CEO Apollo Volakis had also given her a fully-furnished condominium unit back in Deimos as gift for winning the challenge.

It wasn't only Stein who became extremely in demand because of winning this challenge, but her crew as well, especially her model, Fresca Harper. After Stein's photo of Harper was released by the organization into the solar system web, modeling and advertisement agencies had begun relentlessly chasing Harper, reports say. Harper was only a part-time model for small-scale companies in Deimos during the time Stein had acquired her for the challenge. Today, Harper is a full-time professional supermodel in different products, mostly in renowned fashion brands.

There surely is more to look forward to and to keep an eye on Patricia Stein's work. But didn't you notice anything about her? We think that she could also make an exceptionally stunning model! She has the looks and the body to match. What do you think? Tell us by dropping a comment below!

To know more about Patricia Stein, you may click here to see the disambiguation of the different articles and magazine features about her. We've also collected some of her works with the different fashion, society, and advertising giants! Click here to see our Stein gallery.

* * *

Faye sat up on her bed. She rubbed her eyes out of the sleep that remained in there. She looked around her room. This wasn't how she left it two years ago. She knows that she left this room as if a twister had been through it. She stood up and opened her cabinet. The old skimpy outfits that she used to wear were still there. She couldn't believe she didn't have enough decency before to be able to wear those. She smelled the clothes. She quirked an eyebrow. They didn't smell…like the cabinet. They weren't dusty either. In fact, they smell like they were washed.

She crouched down on the floor and tried to feel the floor underneath her bed. It was spotless. If this had been unused for two years, then there should be dust bunnies in there and she should've been wheezing. But no. Someone seemed to be maintaining her room while she was gone. Faye pulled the drawers of her bedside dresser and noticed that things are where they supposed to be when she used to stay on the Bebop. And when she pulled out the last drawer, she was stunned. There were three bullets in there, her pack of cigarettes, her zippo, her deck of cards, and her… her beta tape. Her fingers touched the cold bullets and flinched as she did. She recalled her last day on the Bebop, with Jet unloading her gun. She was miserable because Spike was 'dead'.

It was a memory she didn't want to remember. She proceeded to touch the beta tape of her younger self.

"_I am no longer here… but I am here today, and I'll always be cheering for you right here… Cheering for you, my only self."_

It was the voice of her younger self in the beta tape, and also during that dream she had yesterday. Faye clicked on her tongue. She didn't want to hear that. She didn't want to remember that at all. She looked up to find the time displayed by a digital clock mounted on the wall near her door. It was 10:43 in the evening. Knowing them, the Bebop was following the time in Mars. Well, she lived in its moon, Deimos, where they were exactly 12 hours ahead. Therefore, while the Bebop crew was asleep now (she presumes), she was wide awake, as her body clock dictates.

She closed her eyes as memories started to flood her mind—memories of the time she used to be with the Bebop crew as a bounty hunter. She'd often get her ass in trouble, but they were always there to save her, especially Spike. Then, they'll usually bicker and curse each other tirelessly on who almost blew up the whole plan. They would also argue on who gets how much.

Faye held both sides of her head as she panted. She didn't want these memories, especially not right now. "Make it stop!" Faye said breathlessly to herself, "Stop it!" These memories were hurting her. They were **haunting** her. Almost **mocking** her, as if to say that even if she tried running away, she would still return to the Bebop…well, where was she now?

"No!" she pounded a fist on the floor, while the other hand was already entangled in her hair, clutching her aching head.

* * *

**(Flashback…)**

"Where are you going? Why are you going? You told me once... that the past didn't matter... You're the one who's tied to their past!

Spike leans close to Faye and stares straight into her eyes. Faye's breath hitched as she stared back at his mismatched brown eyes. Her heart pounded hard against her chest, her ears can hear it.

"Look at these eyes, Faye. One of them is a fake, because I lost it in an accident," Spike told her, never breaking his eye contact with her, "Since then, I have been seeing the past in one eye, and the present in the other. I had believed that what I saw was not all of reality..."

"Don't tell me things like that! You never told me anything about yourself!" Faye looked away as she yelled, "Don't tell me stuff like that now!"

"I thought I was watching a dream that I would never awaken from. Before I knew it, the dream was all over." Spike made a few steps back from her, and then brushed past her, to continue walking away.

Faye mustered what little courage she had left and mumbled, "My... memory came back."

Spike stopped.

"But... nothing good came out of it. There was no place for me to return to... This was the only place I could go back to! But now..." She tried to say something else, but instead, whipped around to face his back and yelled, "Where are you going? Why do you have to go? Are you telling me you're going to just throw your life away?"

"I'm not going there to die. I'm going there to see if I really am alive." He replied coolly and started walking again. Walking away from the Bebop, away from her.

Faye aimed her gun at his back but opted to fire pointlessly at the roof. She fired five shots in a row, but Spike kept on walking, unfazed by the fact that she was allowing bullets to rain behind him.

He just kept on walking.

Without ever looking back, he was walking. He was walking towards the past. His past.

* * *

Faye calmed down as she allowed the warm liquid to escape her and pool on the floor. She slashed her left palm using a pocket knife, one that she remembered kept underneath her mattress for self-defense purposes, in case of emergencies. She didn't want to kill herself, but she didn't like the pain her memories cause her either. So she releases herself from her own mental torture by giving herself physical pain.

The first time she did this was two years ago, in Deimos. This was a secret she shared only with Ana, who would tend to her wound immediately. But Ana was nowhere in sight. No one was there to coo her. No one was there to comfort her when her memories attacked her. Worst of all, she was in the very place where most of her painful memories were made—Bebop.

She panted as she dropped the bloody weapon on the metal floor with a soft 'clink'. Her wound was dripping immensely, but the stinging pain soothed her. She had always known that when wounded, the human body produces endorphins, a natural and 'built-in' painkiller. She can feel the rush of that hormone now, sighing as she let the blood roll off her fingers and drip on the floor.

Faye found the first aid kit in her first drawer so she pulled that drawer out and got the kit with her able hand. She found the antiseptic bottle and opened it. She poured down the liquid unceremoniously on her left palm, letting the antiseptic and her blood on the floor to mix. She bit down on her tongue to prevent herself from screaming at the pain. She exhaled sharply as she emptied the bottle and placed it on the floor, just near where she had dropped the pocket knife. Faye reached for a medical gauze and a cloth bandage and wrapped her wound snugly with these. She watched as the white cloth bandage immediately got stained red. She put the first aid kit back in the first drawer. She stretched out the oversized pale yellow shirt that she never knew she wore since yesterday, and wiped her stained hands with it.

_Sometimes I wake up by the door  
__That heart you caught must be waiting for you  
__Even now, when we're already over  
__I can't help myself from looking for you_

She winced as that familiar song played on her head. Her memories are harassing her lately. When was the last time she had a light? Faye 'tsked' and swiped her unused cigarettes and her zippo from her last drawer. She stood up and noticed the unopened beer bottle that Spike had left in her room yesterday. When was the last time she had a drink? Faye 'tsked' again and swiped the bottle off of her dresser. She kicked the last drawer to close it with a soft 'thud'. She punched a switch on the wall and her door slid open. She needs to smoke. She needs to drink. She needs a place to think. Her mind was getting clouded. Maybe she'll think of ways on how to run away, too.

* * *

Spike rubbed his eyes as he finished reading the article jam-packed with information about the beginnings of Patricia Stein, or who he and the Bebop crew know as Faye Valentine.

He stood up and stretched his arms upward. Then he pushed his palm against his knuckles and 'popped' them, before stretching out his arms again.

He needed a drink and a light. So he went downstairs and passed by the common room to find Jet asleep on the couch, Ed also asleep on the floor, and Ein slept beside her. They must've been really tired from keeping Ana Volakis' attempts at bay.

Spike went to the kitchen and opened the fridge to take three bottles of beer with him. She then walked farther down the hallway, which lead him to the hangar where his Swordfish II and Jet's Hammerhead were parked. He lit his cigarette and took in a long drag before exhaling smoke. As he walked around with the three bottles of beer tucked in his left arm, he could smell cigarette smoke other than his own.

He furrowed his eyebrows and tried to heighten his senses. Could it be an intruder? Why the hell would an intruder be stupid enough to take a smoke session in the enemy's lair? Then he found the source of that smoke. There, in the corner of the hangar, hidden by the Hammerhead.

"Faye?" Spike called out to her. His eyes widened at what he saw.

Faye was seated on the cold metal floor, drinking and smoking…and sporting a new wound on her left hand.

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**They sat there, side by side, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. As if they were no longer worlds apart. Just like the old times, when they were comrades. He wanted resolve, she wanted escape. He told her that he didn't want her to live a lie. She told him how her two years was like, reliving the moments how she met Ana and how she got close to Apollo…and the sight of Faye's blushing face upon mentioning Apollo's name sent Spike into numerous trains of thoughts. Many truths exposed, both shocking and riveting.**

**Session 8: Several Worlds Apart**

"_**He really did deserve his name—Apollo, the sun-god. He is radiant, like the sun—he has a pair of sincere and kind eyes that could almost see through your soul, and a smile that would send any woman melting away."  
**_—**Faye Valentine**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Oooh, Faye cut herself. Surprise, surprise! Did I catch you off-guard? Do you have questions going on in your head? Like, why does Apollo seem to be as important as Ana is to Faye? And just how did Faye end up being in Deimos? And what does 'Deimos Swing' exactly mean? You'll find out in the next chapter, and more in the succeeding chapters. ;]

**Tell me what you think! Hit that review button now! ;]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	8. Several Worlds Apart

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I don't own Cowboy Bebop. I don't own Allison Iraheta's cover of a song entitled _I Can't Make You Love Me_. The mentioned series and song rightfully belong to their creators.

_**DEDICATION:**_ To my good friend **Lucky**, who downloaded the entire series for me, the movie too, the manga, all the music albums, the artbooks, and a whole lot of Cowboy Bebop pictures! That kept me going! And I finished writing this because of your kindness! Yay! :]

_**AUTHOR HAS A NEW COWBOY BEBOP FANFIC!:**_ Please read my new fanfic, **Shakespeare's Valentine**. It's a post-RFB oneshot (maybe) told in Faye's POV. Please do read it! Thanks so much!

Okay, so without any further ado…

* * *

**(Previously…)**

Spike went to the kitchen and opened the fridge to take three bottles of beer with him. She then walked farther down the hallway, which lead him to the hangar where his Swordfish II and Jet's Hammerhead were parked. He lit his cigarette and took in a long drag before exhaling smoke. As he walked around with the three bottles of beer tucked in his left arm, he could smell cigarette smoke other than his own.

He furrowed his eyebrows and tried to heighten his senses. Could it be an intruder? Why the hell would an intruder be stupid enough to take a smoke session in the enemy's lair? Then he found the source of that smoke. There, in the corner of the hangar, hidden by the Hammerhead.

"Faye?" Spike called out to her. His eyes widened at what he saw.

Faye was seated on the cold metal floor, drinking and smoking…and sporting a new wound on her left hand.

* * *

**(Session 8: Several Worlds Apart)**

Spike approached her while she still sat there, a cigarette between her right hand's fingers, while she used a wobbling and wounded left hand to hold up a beer bottle as she drank. He noticed that there were two cigarette butts on the floor already.

"Isn't that supposed to be my beer?" Spike asked, looking down at her with the usual smirk plastered on his face.

Faye looked up at him, taking a long drag on her cigarette and deliberately blowing out the smoke at his direction, saying, "You left it in my room. Therefore, it's mine."

"Thief," Spike didn't seem to be affected as he took the dignity to sit right next to her.

"I don't need your company," Faye said with a harsh tone, not even daring to look at him.

Spike set his three bottles of beer on the floor beside him as he smoked and blew out white puff, he replied, "It's not your ship."

"It isn't yours either."

"Well then, if that's the case, how about a deal? If I give you this, can we call it quits?" Spike turned to her as he swung an unopened bottle of cold beer in front of her face.

Faye grabbed it with her right hand and answered, "Fine."

"I don't remember seeing that wound," Spike spoke as he opened his first bottle of beer and took a drink, "That wound wasn't there yet when we last checked on you this afternoon while you were asleep. I wonder how you got it."

"It magically appeared." Faye rolled her eyes, "Do I look like I'm in the mood to talk, Spike?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smoked as he stretched his long legs in front of him, putting one leg over the other, "I don't know. You tell me."

"I'm an independent woman. I'm pretty fine on my own, thank you." She answered, squishing the cigarette on the floor, and then reaching for the first beer bottle to finish it, "If you have any sense of respect left, please leave me alone."

"Is that your thanks for me, for giving you two bottles of beer?" He snickered, "You're welcome, Faye."

Silence. Faye finished her beer and set the empty bottle beside her. She reached for a new cigarette stick and lit it up.

"You don't look like you've been smoking or drinking for a long while," Spike glanced at her.

"Old habits die hard, don't they?" Faye took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled the smoke, continued, "I give myself extremely rare privileges of getting a relapse."

"That Ana Volakis will kill us if she does find us and she sees those wounds on you. She might think that we've done those to you." Spike quickly changed the topic.

"That's good if she does and then decides to hire men to kill you," She snickered as she opened her second bottle of beer, "she'll spare me the effort to do it myself. And if you didn't 'kidnap' me, these wounds won't have to appear."

"Are you planning to get back at us by doing that to yourself and then telling her that it was us who did that to you?" Spike raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hmm, I didn't think about that. Not a pretty bad thought. Thanks for the idea, lunkhead. I might do just that."

"No really, how did you get that wound on your hand?" Spike asked, now looking a bit but authentically worried.

Faye set the beer down beside her and cleared her throat, "You can figure that out yourself. I was too lazy to clean my room before I left it to find some **inner peace**."

Spike finished his cigarette and crushed the butt on the floor. He reached for a new cigarette stick, lit it up, and took a long drag from it. He watched Faye wrap her fingers again on the beer bottle's neck and drank. Her eyes were in a daze, like she was drowned in thoughts. And he was right, as she asked:

"Why did you 'kidnap' me?"

At that question, Spike finished his first bottle of beer. Oh boy, here we go. Gulp that alcohol down, cowboy.

"…and how long do you wish to keep me here?"

"Getting bored?" Spike looked away from her as he sensed that she was going to turn her head to face him. And he was right. She looked at him. Intensely.

"Don't change the topic. Answer those questions."

Spike sighed as he opened his second bottle of beer and told her, "We wanted to…talk to you. On a more personal level, **I** want to talk to you."

"About what?" Faye seemed to be on the edge of her temper for apparently unknown reasons.

Spike tossed his hands up while holding his beer in one hand and his cigarette on the other, "A lot of things. Those two years."

"Why?"

"We—no, **I** just wanted closure," Spike smoked and then looked at her squarely in the eyes as he continued, "I'm alive, Faye. Wouldn't you want to know how that happened?"

Faye looked away and drank.

She's drowning in her own thoughts, he thinks. But he knew, and Jet knew, that this woman deserves a goddamn explanation more than anybody else. So Spike took advantage of Faye's silence.

"Some of the remaining syndicates, or so I think, took me to the hospital after I killed Vicious. They're probably his underlings who were scared to theirs wits end but were not sired to him by heart. I woke up around five days later."

Faye's eyes narrowed. Five days later? That's just about two days since she left the Bebop. If… If only she didn't rush her head into things, if only…well, what use is there for wishful thinking now? It has been done. Two years had passed. Here they are now. This is the aftermath.

Spike noticed her reaction, but continued anyway, "The doctor had asked me a few things, like where I lived, if I knew if there was anyone who would be possibly looking for me. So I told the doctor about Jet and how to reach him. Jet got there immediately and told me that…you were in a mess and left without a note. Since then, we agreed that while we hunt for some bounties, we would also be looking for you. Because you needed an explanation."

"Couldn't you just have left me into thinking that you were dead?" Faye asked him, almost angrily, though.

"We thought you needed to know, anyway." Spike shrugged, "We thought that it could've done you good."

All that was heard was the sound of Spike gulping down a sip of his drink. Then he spoke again, "Won't it be like cheating you if we hid the truth from you and you believed something that wasn't entirely true?"

Faye looked at him and watched his Adam's apple go up and down as he swallowed and breathed. She watched him turn his head towards her and gave her a smirk, "You've been through that, right? Living a lie. I may not be as cruel as you think. If I know that that has happened to you, wouldn't it be just cruel to give you the same treatment?"

Faye looked away. She knew what he was talking about. About living a lie. Truth be told, he was the only Bebop crew who witnessed her encounter with Whitney, Bacchus, and Miss Manley. The lies they told about her. He was there. It was a secret she unfortunately had to share with him. And as if to console her, just when she was left clueless about her memories, he told her that the past didn't matter as long as she had a future. Well, to hell with him and his morals. He was the one who ran to Death's arms because of his past. The past doesn't matter huh? Liar. Now he thinks that depriving her of the truth is wrong? She rolled her eyes. He had some screwed up morals.

"So how'd you find me and Ana?" Faye leaned back onto the cold metal wall, and raked a hand through her hair. She didn't want to talk about what Spike wanted to lead her into talking about.

Spike felt the sudden change of topic but decided not to go against it. He didn't want to push the issue now, not in this situation. It was…to be too insensitive on his part if he did.

"Well, the first year was tough. We really can't find you." He explained, "Until last year, when a certain picture circulated the web. It was your work, _Set Fire to the Rain_. Ed seemed to be very interested in it and as she read on, she came across the name Patricia Stein. So she researched on you as there were several write-ups about you, and several pictures to match. She called for Jet and told him that she found you, just with a different name, a different look, a different lifestyle. That's when we started looking for more information about you. All we know is you're based in Deimos, you're a freelance photographer managed by the Deimos Corp, and you're a close friend to a woman named Ana Volakis."

Spike took a drag from his cigarette as he paused. He usually wasn't the one to talk so much. But this situation demands him to do so. He continued, "So we fished for information on Ana Volakis. We found out the exact place where she lives, and we decided to visit her. We had to do a lot of preparations, though. Deimos has a stuck-up security at the hyperspace gates."

"I know the rest of the story. Ana told me." Faye replied and then threw her cigarette at him, in a frail attempt to burn him—he evaded this with ease, of course. She looked angry and she hissed, "How dare you threaten her like that!"

"I was running low on patience. Two years was too long. We were that close to finding you, and she refused to give out information, so I just snapped. I knew that if she wanted to protect you, she will not allow us to approach the police and report about your fake records." Spike looked at her.

"What about you?" He questioned as she finished her last bottle of beer, "How did you end up being friends with a noblewoman?"

She smiled but then immediately frowned at that question, "I met her…when I was in Tharsis City."

Spike's seemed a bit surprised, "What were you doing there?"

"I needed money, and I caught two small fries there. Not like I wanna be there, you know," Faye shot a glance at him, "It makes me wanna kill everyone I saw. So I guess that instinct helped a lot to catch my bounties."

She lit another cigarette and as she welcomed the smoke in her lungs, she could almost taste that vivid memory, as clear as it happened, of meeting the woman who had turned her into who she is right now, "I met Ana in Tharsis City. I spent a few woolongs from my two catches and I got a bit tipsy from a bar. I was supposed to be walking my way back to the Red Tail."

* * *

**(Flashback…)**

Faye rubbed her nape to try to hold down a headache that could come anytime. She drank a lot today, to get her mind off of things. She didn't want to be in this city, first of all. This was the city where **he** died. The name was one she had already forsaken lately. If before, she wanted memories, now, she wants to forget all her memories of the Bebop. Faye shoved her hands inside her skimpy yellow shorts as she walked down on the poorly-lit street. It was around 10 PM.

She looked up and right around that block across the street, she could see the Red Dragon Syndicates' building. It was garrisoned by black and yellow lasers. That building was under investigation. She overheard from some people back at that cheap bar that one man took down most of the members but he died along with them, although that brave soul made sure that he took the most notorious syndicate with him. Tharsis Police is investigating the building for more than a month since it happened.

Faye turned at the left corner and continued walking. She saw a woman in a trench coat, with a scarf covering her hair, and she had her shades on. Faye smirked at her odd clothing. It was humid in Tharsis right now, so why the need for a trench coat and a scarf? And it was 10 in the evening, so it's stupid to wear a pair of shades. The woman was carrying a suitcase and had men in corporate uniforms escort her to a car.

Suddenly, gunshots were heard. One of the uniformed men covered the woman while the rest of the men fired back at the attackers. They failed, though. The attackers were able to take down the rest of the uniformed men, even the one who protected the woman. There were three assailants, they were armed and they were robust. One of them opened the door to the car's driver's seat. He pulled the driver out and the poor man lay on the street. He was shot to death. The one who did this sat in the driver's seat, while his two comrades dragged the woman to the car. The woman was trying her best to resist.

Gunshots were fired again. One of the two men who were trying to drag the woman to the car fell bloody on the base of the staircase. The other man put his gun up, prepared to attack whoever killed his comrade.

"Let the lady go," Faye said as she approached the woman and the attacker. She held her gun up. She couldn't stand seeing a woman be a helpless victim of these scumbags. And how much did she pay those goddamn guards? They were useless as shit!

"Who are you?" The man now had an arm around the woman's neck, who was struggling to try to get out of it.

Faye smiled as she answered, "I'm just a woman who's been having a really bad case of PMS for two months. Translation: I'm pissed as hell. I'm also tipsy right now, and your antics just triggered a headache. Tsk. You're gonna pay."

The guy tried to shoot but Faye easily dodged it and bravely lunged at the man. The extra ounce of courage may be an effect of the alcohol. The man shot at her several times but she was too fast. She kicked the gun off of his hand. The man tried to punch Faye, but before he could, Faye fired three gunshots at him, killing him.

However, the remaining guy, the biggest of them all, wrapped his arms around Faye's neck. Faye groaned at the sharp pain. He was trying to pop her head off. She shakily pointed her gun at his temple and pulled the trigger, but alas, she ran out of bullets.

"Fuck!" Faye screeched.

Then, the woman swung the suitcase in front of Faye, knocking the guy out on the floor. The woman grabbed Faye's wrist and instructed her, "Get in the car! Quick!"

Faye regained her balance and did as she was told. The woman ran to the driver's seat and Faye got to the passenger's seat just in time. The woman switched on the ignition and stepped on the gas pedal.

Faye looked back and found that the third guy was nowhere in sight. Her eyes narrowed and she sat straight, looking up at the road, and yelled, "Hey! Watch out!"

The third guy was standing in the middle of the road, blocking their way. The woman heeded no attention to Faye and she just continued to accelerate her car. Faye screeched, "Hey!"

"Die, motherfucker." The woman hissed and they ran over the guy, sending his body flying over the hood, then the roof, then the trunk, before Faye heard a spine-chilling combination of cracks and a 'thud' on the pavement behind them. She looked at the side mirror and the guy lay like a vegetable on the road.

Faye looked at the woman. Is this déjà vu? The last time she had been in this situation was with... _"Julia…?"_

The woman, with one hand, removed the scarf over her head and revealed her burning red hair. She also tossed off her shades at the backseat and wiped the sweat around her piercing violet eyes with the sleeve on her forearm.

Faye could almost sigh in relief that it wasn't that goddess of a woman whom **he** revered.

"Thanks for what you did back there," the redhead looked at Faye and smiled at her, "that was awesome. You seem pretty dangerous. What are you? A stuntwoman?"

"No, I'm a bounty hunter."

"Really?" The woman scoffed as she looked at Faye from head to foot, "What a shame. That beauty is put to waste."

Faye didn't know if she'll feel flattered or if she'll feel insulted with what she said. She shrugged it off and asked, "How about you? You seem quite dangerous, too. What do you do?"

The woman answered nonchalantly, "A lot."

Faye felt that the woman did not trust her enough yet, despite saving her life. After all, this was Tharsis City. Most of the people here cannot be trusted.

Faye held out her hand and said, "By the way, the name's Faye."

The woman took it, "Nice name."

Faye blinked twice in contemplation, reminiscent of a memory, and therefore muttered, "A common name."

"I wish mine was common. I wouldn't have to suffer this much if it wasn't for the goddamn name," the woman answered.

"What's your name?"

"Ana."

"Ain't that a common name?"

"Anatolia Soleil Bradamante Volakis," the woman glanced back at her, "ring any bells?"

Faye shook her head, "No, so tell me. By the way, what an exquisite name."

"I get that a lot, thanks." Ana replied, "How about a hint? I live in Deimos."

"Deimos? You mean this planet's moon?"

"Yeah," Ana looked at Faye and read that confused expression on her face, "you really don't know?"

Faye shook her head.

"Hmm, so I guess I'm not that famous after all."

"But if you live in Deimos, then you must be rich." Faye told her.

Ana snickered, "Why, interested with my money, too?"

Faye rolled her eyes, "Please, I'm not that low."

Ana grinned, "Sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean anything bad. I'm part of a multi-billion corporation there. I'm the CEO's first cousin and I'm also that company's senior executive vice president, and I hold other positions, too, but I won't tell you all that. I belong to a filthy rich family."

"So those guys were after you and your money?"

"Most likely," Ana nodded, "because we don't frequent this planet. No one in our family dares to. But we have plans to attempt to improve this planet, so I went as a representative of my cousin. The corporation is aware of the situation in Mars, most especially in Tharsis, but they didn't want to risk my dearest cousin's life by letting him go here, himself. So, I'm chosen as the sacrificial lamb. But I guess today isn't my lucky day, though. Those motherfuckers must've expected me to come here."

"Yeah, and you had some shitty guards, too," Faye told her.

"They weren't from Deimos, so the quality of their service is unreliable," Ana winked, "Life here is so…messy. Have you been to Deimos?"

Faye shook her head.

"Most likely. It has the strictest hyperspace security. We didn't want our place to be as lowly as Callisto or Mars, that's why. It's a highly exclusive place to live in. Luxurious might be the right word for it." Ana told her, "I might just try to sneak you inside Deimos if you have a MONO craft. I have some sort of immunity at the hyperspace gate. I do need a lift. Those thugs back there killed my MONO craft pilot."

"Yeah, I do have a MONO craft, but we're kinda past where I parked it," Faye answered.

"Oh you do have one? Well, aren't you fun?" Ana grinned as she drifted her car to turn at the corner. She moved the clutch and revved up to go back to where Faye parked her Red Tail.

Faye was at awe when Ana drifted, mimicking her expression, "Oh, well, aren't **you** fun?"

"Love to burn 'em wheels. So, where'd you park your ride?" Ana snickered, but then stared back at Faye with all noble solemn intent, "…and were you serious about that having a bad case of PMS?"

* * *

Spike put out his cigarette at his side and lit a fresh stick of cigarette. He noticed that Faye allowed her own stick to burn on its own as she narrated:

"Ana was able to sneak me in Deimos. She allowed me to stay with her in her home. We became friends. I told her everything about me—the Gate accident, the cold sleep, the clowns who threw me into immense debts, the lost memories I've been trying hard to remember, the…" Faye swallowed in hesitation as she continued, "—the Bebop, and apparently why I wanted to try luck on my own. Ana felt moved by my story, so she told me that in great gratitude for me saving her life back in Mars, she would grant me means of living a new life. I asked her why. She told me because she can. First, she helped me arrange faked documents to acquire citizenship in Deimos. Since she is an elitist, my papers were easily processed and the authorities never knew that they were faked. And ever since, I have considered Deimos as my home satellite—"

"—the Deimos Swing, they say, eh?" Spike interrupted, "Once you are able to step inside Deimos, you will feel like you 'need' to stay there. So you're one of those few people who had the Deimos Swing."

"Yeah, I got it pretty bad."

Silence.

After a while, Faye spoke again, "Not long after I was granted citizenship, Ana took me to a psychologist."

"Wait. What was that for?" Spike looked at her, almost bewildered.

Faye pursed her lips. She almost frowned in disappointment at seeing that she allowed her cigarette to burn on its own while she talked. So she squished her cigarette on the floor and decided to rest from smoking for a bit. Faye put her injured left hand up at him, "Ana found me crying in her bathroom one day. Just like this, she found me sticking a knife on my hand. I felt the need to physically hurt myself for the memories that hurt. So she decided to have me checked. I was taken to a psychologist first. I was told that I had to be treated by a psychiatrist before we could proceed with the therapy. So the psychiatrist prescribed me some pills that I take regularly, even until now. They're antidepressants. So thank you for putting me into relapse because I missed out, like what, almost three days of medication? I cut myself, I drank, and I smoked. Looks like I have to visit the psychiatrist again when I get back."

Spike emptied his second bottle of beer. When he left, was it really that bad? When he 'died', why did she stoop so low to do those to herself? He didn't have anything to say to her, nor did he want to say anything to her at this moment. Shit, he didn't even know that she takes pain pretty bad. It's a surprise to him that she revealed that she needed to be treated, and she can become a hazard to herself. He realized that she's really been through several parts of hell and back. Faye was a woman made stronger by time. But he really itched to ask.

"What did they say to you? What did you have?"

"Recurrent brief depressive disorder. The psychologist told me it's not as bad as it sounds. But it's close enough to major depression, the difference was that my symptoms, he said, lasted in shorter episodes than those expected of patients with major depression and those with dysthymia—whatever that shit is. So if ever I'll have prolonged episodes of depression, I might be re-evaluated for major depression." Faye continued.

"So when the psychiatrist had me clear that I was no longer in a state of depression, I went back to the psychologist. The psychologist was also entitled to know what Ana knew about me, so he helped me sort out my memories and how I felt. I would be a liar to say that it didn't help, because it did a lot. He advised me to change who I am—the way I dress, the way I speak, my manners, almost everything. He was also able to help me uncover memories that I hadn't been able to remember on my own—memories before the Gate accident."

Spike exhaled smoke through his nostrils and stared at the white spirals, "And what did you get?"

Faye ran a hand through her hair and sighed as the memories flashed before her eyes. She told him, "I remembered that I was a fresh college graduate from some known university back then in Earth. I was an art major, and I specialized in photography. My family bought me a ticket to fly in outer space in the Gate Public Corporation's first commercial flight. It was one of my family's many other expensive graduation presents. Then… here I am. Almost six decades into the future. So that's pretty much how it was during my first year with Ana, it was about getting me better."

"And how did you get into photography?" Spike asked.

"The psychologist told me and Ana that I can start anew by using what I knew. He told me that since I now have a vivid memory of my past and what I did, I can pretty much use it to start a new life. He advised Ana that with her influence, she should be able to help me jumpstart a new me. That was how my regular psychotherapy sessions ended with him, although I have to see him once every month, just to make sure I'm improving." Faye narrated, "So, following the psychologist's advice, Ana bought me all the equipment I needed to start on my own as a freelance photographer. But getting in the world of photographers wasn't easy, so she had me take a refresher course for a month. Afterwards, she insisted that we needed a bigger influence to get me started, a person who was a brand by his own name, therefore selling trust by him just saying the word. And there was only one person whom Ana knew could do all that. So she introduced me to Apollo, her cousin."

Faye failed at holding back a blush by remembering that memory. In fact, just an image of Apollo replaying in her mind made her insides squirm. Faye sighed. Why did a man like Apollo exist? He was named after a god, too. A very attractive god at that, as myths put it. He did justice to his name. He was a mortal, but with what he can do and with his looks, he is a god—an attractive god.

Spike caught her blushing when she brought up Apollo's name. She also bit her lips to fight back a smile that wanted to appear on her face. What is it with Apollo that made her react this way? And why was he feeling a bit angry at this? Was he…jealous? NO! Spike CANNOT be jealous! It's not in his vocabulary. But, little did he know, his grip on his cigarette tightened, it flattened and bent at where he held it.

"Prior to meeting him, Ana told me several things about Apollo, like what she told me when I first met her in Tharsis—that Apollo is something like a 'prized possession' of their family. Their family didn't want to put his life in risky situations, so he is highly protected and not many persons are permitted to see him. Apollo is said to be a business genius. Ana told me that Apollo can make investors say 'yes' to his proposals because he is a cunning man. But despite his family name, his wealth, his achievements, and his fame, Apollo remained to be very humble and was very grateful even for the little things that his employees do for him, like making him some coffee, or inviting him to some of their trips, which he would usually decline either because of his workload or because he prefers to sleep on his free time."

Spike wasn't sure if he still wanted to hear about Apollo, but hey. Faye was now talking without him urging her to talk. So might as well let her.

"I was formally introduced to him in his office. I thought that Apollo would be a strict old man with many wrinkles, but he was definitely not that. He really did deserve his name—Apollo, the sun-god. He is radiant, like the sun—he has a pair of sincere and kind eyes that could almost see through your soul, and a smile that would send any woman melting away. He is a **beautiful** man—because handsome is an understatement to how he appeared. He is like a work of art, like wax carved to be made as an imaginary perfect creature, but that's what he is—perfect. I swear I might've looked like a blushing, gaping coy fish out of the water when I saw him in person." Faye almost giggled as she narrated how she saw him, "I could hardly speak nor move when he introduced himself and reached out his hand, asking my name. Even his voice sounded so divine—"

"Can we please get to the point, Faye?" Spike interrupted her girlish and overly poetic reminiscent descriptions of a 'dog'—oops, sorry, typo—a 'god'. For some reasons, he felt like he wanted to strangle the goddamn guy. He didn't know why. He just felt like doing so, by how Faye described Apollo. He exhaled smoke to hide his unexplainable angry face, as he looked up and said, "How did you get in the business?"

"Ana had asked Apollo to help me start a career in photography. So Apollo told me that Deimos Corp will manage me. He had signed me into doing advertisements of various products and services of his company, and also into the products of other partnered companies with Deimos Corp." Faye explained. She tried to look at Spike, but the smoke around him sort of blurred her view on his face. She continued, "Apollo told me he received feedbacks from my clients and told him that they were very satisfied with my work. Eventually, Apollo and I became friends. He, Ana, and I would go out together. Sometimes, it would be just me and him. On one of those instances, he gave me an invitation. It was the invitation to the photography challenge. Winning that challenge boosted up my career, and apparently, it seems like it also did help you guys find a lead on me. After I won that challenge, I have clients here and there. So when I found the time and he also found the time, we went out for dinner and he gave me another invitation. It was an invitation he, himself, made. So it was a shock. Why bother making one for me when he can have hundreds of other people can do it for him? When I read it, I understood why he chose to do it himself."

"Oh yeah?" Spike smoked out again, he was really trying to hide his anger while Faye continued on narrating her 'god' Apollo, "What was that invitation?"

Faye cleared her throat and smiled, some sort of contentment found in her eyes. Spike saw that. She answered, "He was inviting me to be a part of the Volakis family."

_Turn down the lights  
__Turn down the bed  
__Turn down these voices inside my head  
__Lay down with me, tell me no lies  
__Just hold me close, don't patronize  
D__on't patronize me_

Spike abruptly exhaled the smoke in her lungs and crushed the cigarette on the floor, but he made sure she wouldn't notice. What the fuck was that? So this 'god' was also trying to give her a family to belong to now?

"…and I told him that I'm not so sure of that invitation. He barely knew me. I refused to tell him what Ana and the psychologist knew about me. He might find me disgusting if he knew the story. What he knows is that I don't have a family—at least, that's what I told him, that I no longer had any. He was a real gentleman. He didn't force me to tell him anything about me, unlike you." Faye shot a death glare at Spike, who looked up at the Hammerhead.

"Tsk," Spike grinned almost evilly, "well sorry, gentleman ain't a word for me. I don't know anything about that shit. It's an old-fashioned bullshit only for the rich and famous."

He really wanted to strangle that 'god' now. His chain of profane words relieved him of that 'need to strangle a god'.

"Damn right," Faye replied, "So he told me that he can wait for the answer, but for the meantime, he told me to consider myself a potential new addition to the Volakis family. And it didn't end there. He gave me a fully-furnished condo unit as a congratulatory gift for winning the photography challenge. He said that Ana knew about this. It might be a great idea to start living on my own, he said, since I was already making my own money and a name for myself, a name that I could be proud of. But that wasn't the last straw… Apparently, Ana told him that I have debts that would almost sum up to 400 million woolongs. Ana didn't disclose to him why I had that large amount of debt or to whom I owe that lot. Apollo knew that Ana knows where I got that debt and where to pay it, but he also knew that I might not want her to spill the beans about it. He put out a folder sealed in a business file envelope and gave it to me. He told me he didn't look into it, but it was a receipt and a payment report that Ana was given after she paid my debts with **his** money. I didn't want to believe it, but when I looked at the payment report…it was true. Signed there were the people whom I owed the money to, paid with interest and all. Including those pathetic doctors who woke me up from cold sleep. Ana found them all, and Apollo paid them all."

'_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
__And you can't make your heart feel something it won't_

Faye found herself tearing up. For the first time that day, she felt happiness swarm in her body as she recalled that memory, "Apollo told me that he genuinely wanted me to live a life that is worry-free. He told me that he will not hold all the things that he did for me against me if I decided to refuse his invitation to be a part of his family, nor did he want me to consider all these things to accept the invitation. He told me that they were honest gifts. Apollo told me that he cares for me, probably not as much as Ana does, but he cares."

Spike watched as Faye cried tears of joy and she wiped her face with the back of her uninjured hand. She sniffed and continued while smiling, "That was the first time in years that I ever felt loved and cared for. It was what I missed the most after waking up from cold sleep. I didn't have a family, and here he was, offering me one. I was a nobody, and he helped me turn myself into a somebody. I had debts, he had them gone. I didn't want him to know about me, but he respected me. I thought I was having a consistent streak of bad luck for the rest of my life, but here they were. Things were looking bright for me. I don't know what I did to deserve Ana and Apollo to help me out this much, but hey. I guess this time, I was lucky. So it's hard not to say yes to Apollo's invitation."

_Here in the dark, in these final hours  
__I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power  
__But you won't, no you won't  
_'_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

Spike's anger calmed down, only to be replaced by a sense of worthlessness. Who gave him any goddamn right to be jealous of Apollo? He was worthless compared to that 'god' of a man. Apollo was educated, filthy rich, a genius, a gentleman, made a name for himself, and a good man—everything that Spike was not. Come to think about it, Apollo has so much more to offer to Faye. Spike Spiegel was educated in the 'school of life', he considers himself rich when the Bebop's fridge is full of food and beer, a genius brawler, a man stuck in a dream, and an ex-syndicate. Spike was a mortal of the lowest form if compared to a 'god' like Apollo.

The Bebop and the crew may have served as a temporary dysfunctional family for Faye and she wasn't treated with as much respect and care as Apollo and Ana had shown her, in fact, they only gave her another reason to be sad about when their little 'family' slowly disengaged, starting with Ed and Ein, and then Spike, who chased after his reality. To top it off, Apollo had paid Faye's immense amount of debt. That is a feat that could make them shut the fuck up. Spike is sure, if Faye would accept Apollo's invitation, she can start to forget about him and the Bebop and just live a better life. The streak of bad luck would end there.

Spike found the courage to ask as he massaged the bridge of his nose, "So, did you say yes?"

"Not yet," Faye answered, "I plan to…but I have my hesitations. What if I cannot hide from him anymore? One day, he has to know about me, too. What if he cannot accept that side of me? That's why until now, I'm still stuck if I should accept the invitation or not. All of his family members are nobles by their own right, and I wanted to be someone they could be also proud of. If they happen to know who I am, they may look at me with disgust. I don't want that."

Now that's where Spike is a notch up Apollo. Spike will never admit it, but he feels weak whenever he thinks about what Faye has been through. He is sure that if what happened to her were to happen to him, he would just give up. But she didn't. She has one hell of a fighting spirit. Yes, although she often gets her ass in trouble whenever they're after bounties, he has to hand it to the lady. Man can she fight; moreover, she can also engage Spike in a rather challenging aerial dogfight, other than their bouts of bickering and curses, gambling, smoking, and drinking. She was a woman with a sense of masculinity in her. Sure, Spike had fallen for a 'goddess', a divine and mysterious woman named Julia, but Faye's toughness draws his attention—she was an 'Amazon'. She was beautiful, even if Spike won't like to admit it, and she was strong. But there's this vulnerability that only a few people know about Faye. He feels privileged that he knows this side of Faye and Apollo doesn't. Hooray for his ego.

_I'll close my eyes, then I won't see  
__The love you don't feel when you're holdin' me  
__Mornin' will come and I'll do what's right  
__Just give me 'til then to give up this fight  
__And I will give up this fight_

But for Spike to feel somewhat defeated like this, does it mean that he feels something for Faye? When he decided to look for her two years ago, when he decided to clean her room, when he snapped at Ana because he was so close to finding Faye, when he snapped at Faye because she didn't want to go with him, when he felt a pang of pain in him when she told him that he was better off dead, when he watched her sleep-talking and crying while having a nightmare, and then this, when she wounded herself, smoke, and drank—he felt like he just wanted to hold her. Spike's hands closed as if they were holding an invisible piece of delicate fabric. Spike felt like he wanted to be there when she felt like she was the unluckiest person in the world. He wanted to prove her wrong.

He can't. Because it was done. Apollo did it. Spike can't because he doesn't have the means. Faye was better off if she belonged to Apollo. Anyway, based on her story, Apollo does seem to take a liking for Faye. And Faye blushing and overly describing Apollo could mean that she likes Apollo, as well. Apollo may be the one for Faye. But his ego won't take it. Being a brave man, he asked her.

"So, do you like Apollo?" Spike gulped as he watched her face relax. It was happiness. It seemed like authentic contentment, too.

"Of course I do," Faye met his gaze, "I liked him ever since I met him."

And here eyes held the truth for her. It crushed him. He wished he never asked.

'_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
__And you can't make your heart feel something it won't_

Spike stood up and dusted off his pants. He sighed and looked down at her, "C'mon, get up. Let's get you back in your room and let me have a better look at that wound."

"So we're done talking, right?" Faye looked up.

"Yep. We're going to get you back to Deimos as soon as we can. Tomorrow, maybe." Spike scratched his green hair and told her, faking a smile, "I was able to get your purse when I 'fetched' you from Deimos. I took out the battery of your cellphone, though, just to prevent getting tracked. You might want to call your friends."

Some part of Faye didn't want this to end. This was the first time that she and Spike talked, really talked. No bickering, no insults, nothing. Just talk. She knew Spike wasn't the type who'd talk a lot but here he was. It might be the last time, too. Faye stood up and dusted off her shirt, and noticed, "Hey, is this your shirt?"

"Yeah, Ed put it on you after she gave you a bath while you were asleep after your first day here." Spike replied as he started walking.

"Speaking of which, I think I might need a bath," Faye bellowed and trailed behind him, "So, did you get the closure you wanted?"

_Here in the dark, in these final hours  
__I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power  
__But you won't, no you won't  
_'_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

No. Spike wanted to say 'no'. He wanted to ask her why she had reacted that way—why was she in a mess after he didn't come back from fighting Vicious, why did she intend to hide and never be found, why did she seem to hate to be in the Bebop, why did she cut her palm today? …but he didn't want to ask those anymore. Her answers won't matter, for he was certain that Apollo was waiting for **Patricia Stein**, and not Faye Valentine, to return in his arms, where she is **safe and sound**, where she is **cared for and loved**, where she is **understood**, where she is **respected**…where she **belongs**.

"Yes," Spike looked over his shoulder to look at Faye in the eyes and tried to let her know that he was being true (despite the fact that he was about to lie to her), "and therefore, this might be the last time we talk and we meet."

Faye locked eyes with him. Spike looked like he was promising her this.

Her heart seemed to squirm in her chest, _"Please don't say that. That can't be true."_

Spike faced forward. Faye watched his back. Watching his back brings back unwanted memories. Her memories flashed before her eyes, that time when she fired gunshots to the roof, warning him to leave if he dared. And he did. The rest is history. Her life went spiraling down after that. She didn't like to see his back.

"_Is there a wonderful person beside me?"_ Her younger self's voice echoed in her head.

"Yes," she said, not to answer him, but rather, it was a reply to the question to her younger self's question.

_Oh I can't make you love me, oh no…  
__Oh, I can't make you love…_

There was an unknown ache in Faye's heart, _"…but he belongs to Julia."_

Spike heard that. It was an affirmation, likewise saying that she agrees with what he said that this will be their last meeting.

There was an unknown ache in Spike's heart, _"…she belongs to Apollo."_

Faye and Julia were several worlds apart.

Spike and Apollo were several worlds apart.

Spike and Faye…are now also several worlds apart.

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Spike confronts different people: starting with an equally ill-tempered Ana Volakis, a drinking session with Jet, Faye who seemed to have some sort of enlightenment after talking to Ed, and finally meeting with Apollo, who takes Spike by surprise. Apollo was more than what people knew about him. Rub that genie, make a wish.**

**Session 9: Flying Teapot**

"_**Bebop's no fun without Faye-Faye around."  
**_—**Ed**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_Faye? Depression? Yes! By the way, please do know that I tried my best to make her situation as feasible as possible. Trust me, I'm a psychology graduate. I checked my books to make sure that I'm on track. ;]

A really long chap, eh? Hope you liked it, though!

**Please don't forget to read my new fic, Shakespeare's Valentine. Many thanks!**

**Tell me what you think! REVIEW! ;]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	9. Flying Teapot

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I don't own Cowboy Bebop. I don't own its song entitled _Flying Teapot_. The mentioned series and song rightfully belong to their creators.

_**DEDICATION:**_ This chapter is dedicated to **Harumigirl**, one of my avid readers of this fanfic. Thanks for all the support! This one's for you! :3

* * *

**(Session 9: Flying Teapot)**

"…excuse me?"

"Yes, you heard that right," Spike answered, "We are only allowing one MONO craft to enter the Bebop to fetch her."

"**We** are going to **fetch** her?" Ana snarled, her angry eyes matching her symbolic fiery red hair. Ana closed her eyes and tried to control her erupting temper, whereas Spike was still cool and all. Ana began to speak again through gritted teeth, her eyes giving Spike death glares through the monitor, "Let me remind you, Mr. Spiegel, just in case you forgot. You **kidnapped** her, and you **expect** **us** to fetch her?"

Spike shrugged his shoulders and replied with a wry smile on his face, "Well, yeah."

Ana facepalmed and sighed. Spike watched her through his monitor as she threw her hands up in the air and shook her head. She snickered bitterly before speaking to him, "At first I didn't want to believe Trish when she told me how much of an ass you were. I didn't want to believe that such idiots exist. I really hate to admit this, but please allow me to tell you this."

"Oh sure, go on ahead." Spike was rather having fun with irritating this noblewoman.

"YOU ARE ONE RARE PIECE OF A FUCKING IDIOT," Ana spoke, venom dripping at every word.

"Why, thank you. I get that a lot," Spike bowed mockingly at her, "but to hear it from the likes of you, I now feel more self-confident for being a rare piece of a fucking idiot. Not much in the universe quite like me, yes. I'm a very rare find." Spike couldn't help but match a goofy grin with what he had said.

Ana hissed, bringing her face closer to her webcam, "Suck it up, because I meant every word! You fucking **kidnapped** her, so why not **bring her back here**, where you got her, huh? We could make arrangements like granting you a privilege pass to enter our hyperspace gates. But you want us to fetch her?"

"Hey, who's the kidnapper here?" Spike tilted his head to the side, not failing to hide his amusement with poking fun at this ill-tempered woman. He pointed his unlit cigarette towards his direction and spoke, "I am. So I'm the one who has the goddamn right to set the conditions, no matter how fucking idiotic they are."

"Your current location is already near Titan!" Ana screeched, "You have any idea how goddamn far that is from Deimos?!"

"Of course I do," Spike lit the cigarette and took a long drag from it, "I'm a Martian, after all. You live in one of our moons. You should be a few hours nearer to Titan than Mars is. And what's the use of hyperspace gates? Isn't it to cut traveling time from lightyears into mere hours or days? Traveling at hyperspace gates is 240 times faster than usual travel, to be exact. You've got no right to complain, your royal highness."

(_**A/N**__**: **_That info about the hyperspace gates is officially released by Cowboy Bebop in their Session 0.)

"Can't we meet halfway?!" Ana ranted, "Even if we traveled 240 times faster, your location is still **far** from Deimos."

"Hmm, okay then. Let's rendezvous near Ganymede. Halfway, yes? Jupiter is just in between Mars and Saturn. Considering you're in a moon of Mars, and we're near a moon of Saturn, meeting near a moon of Jupiter is fair, yes?"

"You have a deal." Ana sat down on her chair and massaged her temples, "What's in it for us?"

Spike took another long drag at his cigarette, watching the ember burn at the end of the stick before exhaling the smoke out of his nostrils. He looked serious as he contemplated on her question. He wet his lips and stared at his webcam, "We're not interested in your money. But as I've said, we're only allowing one MONO craft to dock here at the Bebop to fetch Faye. So, if she's that important to you, then I'm going to ask that it should be Apollo who should fetch her."

Ana gaped and her eyes widened at that.

Spike had his secret reasons. He didn't have his happy ever after with Julia, but he wanted Faye to have hers with Apollo. So, he wanted her to see Apollo immediately. He wanted to assess if the man was really someone he can't ever reach. Spike wanted to ensure Faye's happiness. Hey, she deserves it. After all the years of shit she's been through.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Ana shook her head.

"Of course I do," Spike smiled his usual mischievous one, "I'm asking the CEO of the Deimos Corp to fetch the damsel in distress here. If you can't agree with me on those terms, well, looks like Faye isn't as highly valued as she thought she is. Too bad. Well, we could use some extra muscle in here for bounty hunting. I guess she we can have her back—"

Ana interrupted with a frustrated groan and eyed Spike squarely, "FINE! IT'S A DEAL! Tsss. Fucking idiot."

Ana went offline immediately. Spike leaned back on the couch and made smoke circles as he closed his eyes. Faye will be released soon.

So how were they able to contact Ana? Well, Spike had activated Faye's cellphone and sent a text message to Ana to contact them. Then, he told Jet that he and Faye were already able to talk to each other and that they were cool, so he should let Ed give Ana a chance to contact the Bebop.

Spike stood up and walked his way towards Faye's room. He stared on the floor, his eyes falling upon the bloody pocket knife on the floor, then at the empty antiseptic bottle, before gazing at the pool of blood and antiseptic crusting on the metal surface.

Where was Faye? Well, she was now taking a bath. They decided that she should take a bath first before Spike cleans her wound on her temple and on her hand. So now was a good time clean this mess in her room. Spike crouched down and picked up the pocket knife and the small empty bottle, before standing right up and swiping the two empty beer bottles on the bedside dresser that he had left there the day before.

* * *

Faye sighed as she tried to stifle a groan to escape her throat as she cleaned the wound on her left hand while she lay in the tub full of water and soap. She watched as the blood mingled with the soapy liquid in the tub. She sighed as she continued to squeeze near the wound area to allow bleeding. A few minutes later, she pulled the tub plug and drained the water. She replaced the plug when all the water has drained out, before refilling the tub with water and soap. She tossed her head back as she lifted her bleeding hand over the rim of the tub to let the crimson liquid to drip on the floor, as she allowed herself to relax to the feel of warm water and the fragrance of the soap. She closed her eyes.

She was too drowned in her own senses as she failed to notice that she actually forgot to lock the bathroom door and now, somebody tiptoed its way inside. She snapped her eyes open when she heard and felt a splash in the tub. She screamed and almost felt as if her skin jumped off her bones as she saw a red head grinning at her.

_Sometimes I think oh yes  
I'd move to where all the shooting stars are gone  
With all of our wishes  
_

"Ed!" Faye screeched, as she covered her own body from the innocent child.

"Ed wants to join Faye-Faye for bath time!" Ed happily chirped.

It's not like Faye can do anything with it now, right? Ed had welcomed herself to intrude Faye's private time, so it's no use shooing the child away. Nevertheless, Ed is a girl, so no worries. And besides, according to Spike, it was Ed who had bathed Faye while she was asleep. What else was there to hide?

Faye sighed as she watched Ed enjoy make bubbles by blowing air through pouted lips while submerged in the water. Some part in Faye felt peace. After all, this was a child...well, Ed is probably 15 now, but she was still childlike. Some children give off an energy that makes an older person feel younger. Faye was, of course, older than her apparent age.

When she was at Ed's age, she could remember being a sweet, cheerful, friendly, and shy girl. How she wished that she could go back to those times, those times when problems were simple—what to wear on the next slumber party with Sally and the other girls? What movie to watch next? Should she tell her mom about that new guy in school whom she was crushing on? Can she ask her dad to treat her and her friends to an overseas vacation on her 16th birthday? Faye sighed once more. She wished that she could be a child again.

Ed noticed Faye that she had sighed twice, so she asked, "Is something wrong, Faye-Faye?"

Faye shook her head and gave a small smile to Ed.

"Then why does Faye-Faye have a bleeding hand?" Ed asked as she stared at the wound.

"Oh, this is nothing. Clumsy me." Faye faked a snicker. Ed seemed to have bought it. Of course. Ed was still naïve and gullible.

_How could they bare oh no  
To carry around the stupid human hopes  
So I'm going to help, I will  
_

"Ed was told by Jet-person and Spike-person to allow Faye-Faye's friend to contact Bebop. Is Faye-Faye going?" Ed looked at Faye with earnest eyes.

Faye smiled, "Yeah, I need to go home…back to Deimos."

"So Faye-Faye is not going back to Bebop anymore?" Ed pouted.

There was a tug at Faye's heart as she looked at Ed. She gulped before answering Ed, "I might not go back here anymore."

Ed had downcast eyes and could only say, "Oh." The teen submerged her head in the water, up until the bridge of her nose. She blew out bubbles again.

It's not like Faye was close to Ed, but she felt sorry for the child. Faye might be Ed's favorite Bebop crew, because…well, of course, because she's a girl, too. She wondered how Ed had fared in those two years, being left alone with two men in this old fishing ship. Faye wished she could've been closer to Ed. But there was one question she's been itching to ask Ed.

"Ed, how did you get back here at the Bebop?"

Ed immediately raised her head from the water and answered cheerfully, "Ed was able to detect Bebop on Earth two years ago! Ed found out where the Bebop was and returned with Ein!"

Faye smiled at Ed's happy demeanor. Like a child, indeed.

"…but Ed felt sad that Faye-Faye wasn't at the Bebop anymore when Ed got back." Ed pouted.

_Give me a key to lock the door  
To the secret paradise  
There are so many queuing up  
And I won't let them in  
_

Faye sighed, "Did they explain to you why I left?"

"Jet-person only said that Faye-Faye was really sad and had to leave to find happiness." Ed replied, "You know, Jet-person and Spike-person really worked hard to find Faye-Faye. Jet-person told me that they were looking for Faye-Faye because Spike-person needs to talk to her. Spike-person would wash Faye-Faye's clothes at least every week, whenever there's no bounty. He also cleans Faye-Faye's room. Spike-person said that just in case Faye-Faye decides to stay. He said Faye-Faye might be grumpy to find her room in a mess and with no clean clothes to wear."

Faye's eyes widened at that, "**Spike** was cleaning **my** room **and **washing **my** clothes?!"

Ed nodded in delight. Faye couldn't believe it. Faye thought that if there could've been anyone so diligent enough to clean her room and wash her clothes, it might be Jet, and **definitely** **NOT** Spike! Besides, Spike didn't look like a tidy person anyway!

"Since when had he done it?"

Ed looked up as she thought, and then landed her golden eyes to stare at Faye, "…uhmm, Spike-person has been doing it probably even before Ed and Ein returned to the Bebop."

Faye can't really believe her ears.

"Ed will miss Faye-Faye." Ed said almost in a whisper, but Faye heard that. Ed's eyes looked sad and she had her lips pursed.

Probably the reason why Faye could have been Ed's favorite person is that the latter expresses herself more with the former. Ed doesn't open up or be as talkative when she's around Jet and Spike. Maybe, some part of Ed feels that Faye can understand. Faye doesn't know if some part of Ed understood her, but all she knows is that Ed does not want her to go, at least not yet…but Spike has already decided to release her, and Faye has a life waiting for her in Deimos, and she has the possibilities of being entered into a noble family. Wasn't this supposed to be right? Almost eight decades ago, a baby girl named Faye was born to a wealthy family in Earth, in a country formerly known as Singapore. Isn't it only right that she would eventually die as a noblewoman, even if she has to forget about her original nobility and bear another noble name?

_Look at them  
They are cheeky  
They are never worthy  
to be saved  
_

"Bebop's no fun without Faye-Faye around." Ed continued.

Faye has to live her own way. She felt sorry that Ed has to feel this way…but Faye longed for a family, and a family was waiting for her in Deimos. Bebop is just a dysfunctional family that she formerly belonged to but she has to leave that all in the past. Maybe someday, when Ed grows up, she will eventually understand why Faye has to go.

Faye stretched her arms out and wrapped them around Ed. She cradled the young one's head in the crook of her neck and hugged her tight. Faye rested her chin on Ed's head and cooed, "I'm sorry, Ed. You'll understand one day. You'll be all right. Everything will be all right."

* * *

"So how did it go, buddy?" Jet asked as he poured Spike another serving of whiskey.

Spike's long fingers wrapped around the small glass and downed the liquor in one go. He inhaled smoke from his cigarette and said while blowing it out, "Which one? Talking to Ana or talking to Faye?"

"Faye."

"Went well," Spike shrugged his shoulders as Jet downed his own serving of whiskey before pouring another serving for the both of them.

"And does she have plans of going back here?"

Spike shook his head as he swirled the liquor in his glass, "She was offered to be a part of the Volakis family by Apollo."

"What could that mean?" Jet asked as he exhaled smoke through his nostrils.

Spike emptied his glass and poured himself another shot of whiskey as he replied, "Well, the way I understood it, how else could a woman be entered into a family by a man?"

Jet's eyes widened, "…marriage?"

_Sometimes I feel oh yes  
I could do almost everything I wanted  
And it makes me cry  
_

Spike took a long drag from his cigarette and lazily blew out the smoke before answering, "She has a huge thing for that Apollo guy. That guy seems to like her, too. He helped her get into photography, he apparently had her enter that photo challenge last year, and after she won the challenge, he gave her a condo unit…and dig this, he paid for her hundreds of millions of debts. Now you tell me, with all the things that that guy has done for her, how could Faye say no to such proposal?"

"…so you mean, she hadn't answered him yet?" Jet asked as he brought the glass to his lips.

Spike shook his head, "Faye said she hesitated. She was still practically a stranger to him. She did not want to disclose her past and her former identity to him, in fear that he might be disgusted to know about it."

"But the guy has tons of money on him," Jet flicked his cigarette on the ashtray, "one way or another, he will know. He will find ways to know even if Faye won't tell him."

Spike shrugged again as he finished his cigarette and squished the butt on the ashtray, "Well, it's her life. She makes the call."

Jet watched Spike as he emptied his glass and refilled it. He asked, "So… did you also ask her about why she left the Bebop two years ago?"

"Nope, and it doesn't matter," Spike raised his glass to Jet, "the past no longer matters. She has a future, a bright one at that."

Spike smiled, reminiscent of when he said that to Faye.

Jet shook his head as he brought his glass up to Spike's and he spoke, "Cheers to Faye."

Spike replied, "Bottoms up."

They both finished their glasses. Jet finished his cigarette and put it out on the ashtray. He asked Spike, "You shouldn't be oblivious to the answer to that question, Spike."

_Lay your heart  
Lay your soul  
Upon my magic carpet  
Now we are flying  
To Venus just to kill some time for tea OK  
_

"To what question?" Spike pretended not to remember, hoping that the whiskey had taken some kind of effect to Jet's memory.

"Why Faye left the Bebop," Jet answered. He's still apparently very much sober.

Spike snickered, "You think I know the answer? Are you thinking I'm some kind of magic crystal ball or something? I don't know why she left. If you do, tell me about it."

The woman loves you, damn it. How insensitive of a bastard can you be? Yeah, that's what Jet had wanted to tell him, but he decided against it. This wasn't his game. He knows better than to meddle in people's businesses.

"Whatever, Spike," Jet stood up and told him, "the answer to me is pretty obvious, but you have to figure that out yourself. If you have, don't pretend like you're blind."

"So what do you expect me to do?" Spike looked up at the lighting on the ceiling.

"You can't lie to yourself either, buddy." Jet turned on his heel and walked towards the kitchen, "I'm cooking something special today so all of us can eat together for the last time. You should go clean Faye's wounds before we eat. Her 'date' could come anytime now to pick her up, too."

Spike rolled his eyes as he stood up and started walking, before playfully barking at Jet, "Yes, **Dad**."

* * *

Faye stood in her room in nothing but a towel wrapped tightly around her lithe frame. She found out that what Ed had told her earlier might've been true after all. As far as she remembers, she left this room with her blood mixed with the antiseptic on the floor. She was also sure that an empty antiseptic bottle and a bloody pocket knife were also on the floor. There were two empty beer bottles on her bedside dresser. But now, the floor and the dresser are spotless. And on her bed were the dress and the bolero she wore when she was 'abducted'.

She brought her dress up to her face and smelled it. It smelled like it was washed. She held the dress draped over her left forearm and she walked to her cabinet. She opened it and picked out one of her skimpy yellow outfits. She smelled it and they have indeed smelled fresh. She held out her black dress and hugged it. She let out a sigh and fought against the tears that were threatening to fall.

_Remember  
Surrender  
There's nothing you can do  
Cause love's such a joke  
Like a little jack in a box you know  
A little jack in a box  
_

This was a side of Spike she never knew and never imagined he had. She wouldn't have known if Ed didn't tell her about it. Just to know this was enough for Faye. Faye still loved Spike, even after two years. He was a memory she had both wanted and despised. It was an unrequited love. So this gesture from Spike could've been a brotherly act towards her. She knows that he would never see her the way he saw Julia. No. Most definitely not. He only had eyes that could see Julia. He only had a heart that beats for Julia. As much as Faye had loved Spike even after two years, it's not impossible that he would still be pining for Julia after all these times. Because the fact that he faced Vicious two years ago was enough proof that he loved Julia, no matter what. And for Faye, she had accepted defeat. She met Julia. She was nothing compared to Julia. Nevertheless, all these realizations had come for Faye to make her decision.

Faye let the towel around her pool at her feet as she got dressed up. There was no time to spare, if she could make things right, she will today. She opened her second drawer in her bedside dresser and got out a pen and a paper. She started writing down something quickly. If she left without a note last time, this time would be different. Yes, she will return to Deimos and it is possible that she won't be coming back to the Bebop anymore, but at least she had the last laugh. She will make sure that she will not regret anything after this. There was nothing to regret. Nothing. She finished what she wrote, kept the pen back in her drawer, and went back to her cabinet. She slipped the folded note in one of the pockets of one of her red jackets.

As if on cue, she heard a knock on the door. She picked up her towel on the floor and carefully closed her cabinet.

"Faye?"

_Lay your heart  
Lay your soul  
Upon my magic carpet  
Now we are flying  
To Venus just to kill some time for tea OK  
_

She tapped the switch by her door and the door slid open. Spike welcomed himself in her room and she gave him a questioning stare.

"Let's take a look at those wounds," Spike told her as he grabbed a chair and placed it near her bed. He opened the first drawer in her bedside dresser and got the first aid kit out. Faye blinked. Spike looked unbelievably calm today. Very calm. It scared her.

Faye walked towards her bed and sat down. She fought a blush when Spike leaned closer to her face to inspect the healing wound on her temple. She could feel his breath on her cheek, it smelled of liquor and smoke, but it didn't stink. It was just musty. So much like him. He always smelled that way, and it was calming. He smirked and told her as he opened the first aid kit and uncapped a new bottle of antiseptic, "That wound on your head is getting better."

"Were you able to contact Ana?" Faye asked as he watched Spike's hand make contact on the wound on her forehead and applied antiseptic.

"Yeah," Spike replied as he brought his arm down and reached for an ointment and began applying it on her wound, "Apollo will pick you up later."

"Apollo?" Faye asked, surprised, "Why him?"

Spike finished applying the ointment and sat back, "Because I told her that it should be Apollo who should fetch you. If you are as important as you think you are to them, then they should allow their most prized family member to fetch you."

Faye sighed, "You have no idea what you're asking of him. You're a jerk, you know that?"

"Amusing how you and Ana have the same sentiments towards me, only yours is a bit more polite-sounding." Spike gave her a sly smile, "Now let's see that bad cut on your hand."

_Lay your heart  
Lay your soul  
Upon my magic carpet  
Now we are flying  
To Venus just to kill some time for tea OK  
_

Faye reached out her left palm to Spike and he gently wrapped his hand around her wrist and brought it closer to his eyes for inspection. With that, he spoke, "That's a deep wound. We need to stitch it."

It's not like Spike doesn't know how to stitch a wound. Faye learned two years ago that both he and Jet know how to treat gunshot wounds (and extract bullets from those wounds, especially when they're too far away from their friend Doctor), temporarily splint broken bones, stitch wounds, and mostly other wounds acquired after getting into a fight with bounties. Faye thought that they might've learned it from their friend Doctor… Doctor… uhh, well, he wasn't really introduced to her. She just knows that they have a friend 'Doctor'. The doctor might've been really irritated with the two men because of their frequent visits, so he just taught them how to treat their wounds themselves. It's also possible that the two men just learned how themselves. After all, they were graduates from the 'school of life'.

"Uhm, well, I haven't been stitched," Faye nervously told Spike.

"Really?" Spike asked, "So how were you treated with your wounds from that Gate accident? …And you told me that you cut yourself before, so how do you expect your wounds to close?"

"I presume that my wounds healed by themselves for the entire duration of the cold sleep," Faye answered, "That, or my wounds were treated through laser…like how my wounds were treated whenever I cut myself before. And I'll prefer to be treated with laser since recovery is quick, painless, and it leaves no scars."

"Tsk. Rich kid. We don't have a medical mending laser here to sear your wounds closed, and you know that. That goddamn equipment is expensive, even just the portable one." Spike told her, "I'll apply a local anesthetic. You won't feel a thing."

Faye's breath hitched and she stared at him suspiciously.

"I know how to do this, and I bet you know that already." Spike answered her questioning glare, "So, stitch or no stitch?"

_Remember  
Surrender  
There's nothing you can do  
Cause love's such a joke  
Like a little jack in a box you know_

"I'll be going home later anyway, so no stitch." Faye told him, "I'll just explain to Apollo and Ana that you guys have nothing to do with these wounds."

Spike shrugged, "Okay. You say so. I'll just clean this, then."

Spike began to apply antiseptic on the wound. Faye would flinch every now and then. Faye stared at Spike, the way he was focused on this task, how he held her wrist securely but gently, and how his free hand would delicately work on her wound. Faye's heart made a little jump. She wanted this moment to last, where she truly feels that Spike cares for her. She was happy to find out that he would bother so much as to clean her room often and even wash the clothes that weren't even his, and ownerless for two years. See, Spike was a lazy ass of a man and was often an insensitive bastard who would say curses for all eternity, but here he was, totally the opposite of what he is. Faye felt extremely privileged to experience this for herself.

Spike put a splint on her hand so she won't move it around and allow the wound to, hopefully, clot. He also bandaged her entire hand.

"Done!" Spike told her as he placed the first aid kit on her bedside dresser.

_Like a little jack in a box you know…_

Faye would miss this side of Spike, definitely. Too bad it ended too soon. She will let this moment burn in her memory.

"Thanks," she told him sincerely, "for everything."

Spike didn't know what to say, so he decided to stand up and tell her, "Let's go. Jet said he prepared something special for us to eat today." Then, Spike started walking away from her and exited her room.

Faye followed him soon after.

* * *

"Open the hatch." Ana appeared on Ed's Tomato in the common room.

Spike approached the monitor and told her, "I thought I said—"

"Yes, so open the goddamn hatch," Ana interrupted, "Apollo is about to dock in the Bebop."

"Can we confirm that, Ed?" Spike asked Ed who was working on another computer on the floor.

"Uhmm…" She looked back at Spike and told him, "If that's the ship that Ana Banana is talking about."

"What did that child call me?!" Ana screeched.

Ed grinned widely and had a sing-song voice, "Ana, Anana, banana nanana! Ana Banana! Copa Cabana, Ana Anana, bababa banana! Ana Banana! Weeee!"

Ana growled at Ed's singing.

"Geez, chill. She's just a kid—err, uhm—childlike." Spike rolled his eyes at Ana, remembering Ed's actual age. He was now looking at the map on Ed's monitor. Wait, did he see that right? That blinking labeled dot that was approaching the Bebop.

"I'm on a ship that's located near the hyperspace gate at Callisto." Ana informed Spike, "We confirmed that Apollo is about to commence docking sequence. So open the fucking hatch."

The map showed a blinking labeled dot, a MONO craft approaching the Bebop on a steady speed.

It was the Red Tail.

"The Red Tail?" Spike said that rather bluntly, defeating its purpose as a question.

"Yes, stop gaping. That **is** the Red Tail, Trish's MONO craft. She and I kept it somewhere in Deimos, and I restored the tracker she has for the Bebop which she smashed two years ago. We chose for Apollo to fly this thing because it would detect where the Bebop is with ease." Ana explained.

"Jet! Open the hatch!" Spike hollered.

Jet made his way to the bridge to switch the hatch door open. The caution gate closed and he floated as the Bebop's gravity was switched off to allow the docking of the MONO craft.

"What the…" Jet gaped as he saw the familiar craft dock in the hangar, "Red Tail?"

The hatch was closed and gravity was switched back on in Bebop. The Red Tail's engine switched off and the cockpit opened. A man stepped down from the Red Tail. He was wearing a pair of black leather shoes, a pair of black pants, and had a black formal jacket on his sky blue dress shirt.

Jet made his way to meet the pilot at the hangar. The pilot noticed the bulky man's presence and he walked his way to where Jet was.

He smiled and reached out a hand, "Hello. I'm Apollo Volakis. I come in peace. I'm here to fetch Patricia Stein, as you have instructed."

Jet shook hands with the man who had just about the same height as Spike and told him, "The name's Jet. Would you like to wait here or—"

"Actually, if I may be so kindly permitted," Apollo asked earnestly, "I would like to have a word with the abductor of Lady Stein. Please don't worry. I would just like to speak with him. I mean no harm."

Jet looked at the man as if he grew another head. Apollo just had a still smile on his face—like it was pasted there or something. Jet sighed and said, "Please mark your word because if you make a fuss, I have no idea what that man can do to you. He doesn't exactly have the best-kept temper."

Apollo placed a hand over his heart and nodded, bowing once and he really still had that smile on his handsome face. He said, "I, Apollo Volakis, always mean what I say. I am **always** a man of my word. Trust me on that. Why else would I go out of my way to come all the way here to fetch Lady Stein when I can hire plenty other men to do it? Or perhaps just send my cousin Ana to do it for me? Isn't this enough proof that I abide by your conditions? All I'm asking is to talk to Lady Stein's abductor. Am I not granted that privilege?"

Though Apollo had a warm demeanor that surrounds him and the way he talks was curt, Jet could only feel intimidated. This is probably why he's filthy rich, he told himself. Jet started walking and told Apollo, "Well then, follow me."

"Ahh, thank you very much for your kindness, Mr. Jet." Apollo relaxed his shoulders and followed Jet until they reached the common room, where Spike and Faye were seated on the couch. Spike was smoking while Faye had her hands on her lap, waiting for Apollo.

"Hey Spike, this guy wants to talk to 'ya." Jet called out.

"Apollo!" Faye stood up and walked towards Apollo and bowed curtly to him.

Jet walked away and told Apollo, "I'll leave you to it."

Apollo's face was tainted with worry as he looked at Faye. He brushed the hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He gently took her left hand and inspected it. He only said in a low tone, "Goodness, Lady Stein! What happened to you? What did they—"

"No, they didn't do anything to me, Apollo. I swear." Faye withdrew her hand from him and smiled sweetly at him.

"Are you sure?"

Faye nodded and told him, "Thank you for your kindness. I apologize that they have to bother you to fetch me."

Apollo finally regained his smile and told her, "Darling of a woman, aren't you? I would let no one harm my family. I already consider you one, even if it's not yet official." Apollo cupped Faye's face and she leaned into it.

Spike feigned a cough and caught their attention, "Sorry to bother your sweet little reunion there. You wanted to talk to me?" Spike asked as he stood up and squished the cigarette butt underneath his shoe.

Apollo kept his hands at his sides and told Spike, "I apologize. I must have been overwhelmed to see Lady Stein. Yes, I wish to speak with you. May we do so privately?"

Spike lit another cigarette and exhaled the smoke through his nostrils before answering, "Sure, I know a place. Follow me."

"I'm very grateful." Apollo smiled and then turned to Faye, "Please stay here. I'll be right back."

"Wait, what is this for?" Faye asked as Apollo started following Spike.

"Just a talk. Stay there." Apollo reminded her, "Do not follow us. I will be just fine. I can fully take care of myself."

Faye just stood in the middle of the common room, agape as she watched the two men walk away from her.

Spike had lead Apollo into the bridge. Spike flicked the lights open.

"What a view!" Apollo spoke in awe as he stared at the large window panels in the room. There were endless stars at sight, along with the darkness of space, with Jupiter into view, along with Ganymede and its fellow moons of the colossal planet. He could also see the different hyperspace gates here and there, the vast asteroid belt that separated the first four planets from the latter four giant planets of the solar system, and the different space crafts that travel to and fro.

"We haven't been formally introduced," Spike spoke while his cigarette hung on his lips. He stretched out his right arm while he kept the left in his back's waistband, checking if he kept his Jericho there. Spike continued as he looked into the eyes of Apollo, "My name is—"

"Spike Spiegel," Apollo interrupted as he took Spike's hand and shook it.

Spike's eyes widened a bit and wondered why Apollo kept smiling and never let go of his hand. Spike's left hand touched his gun's cold metal just in case this man had something up his sleeves. Spike replied coolly, "Well, I didn't know you knew me, Mr. Apollo Volakis."

Apollo's smile was warm and friendly, but his eyes looked like it held some sort of… evil? Spike's eyebrows furrows when Apollo's grip tightened on his hand.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other, Spike." Apollo's face turned serious.

"What do you mean?" Spike has no fucking idea where the hell he'd seen Apollo, but there was indeed an air of familiarity around him.

Apollo loosened his grip and he pulled out a picture from the inside pocket of his jacket. He showed this to Spike, whose eyes narrowed at the sight of the picture. His cigarette dropped to the floor while he quickly drew out his gun out and pointed it at Apollo.

"Who the hell are you?" Spike asked with all his defenses up. This guy had a picture of him and Vicious when they were still part of the Red Dragon Syndicate.

"Of course, it's been years since you've seen me… maybe nine or ten years ago?" Apollo snickered as he eyed the picture and kept it in his jacket, "I kept an eye on you ever since you left. You were able to fool the syndicate when you 'faked your death'. You wanted to leave the syndicate badly. But my father and I had always kept our silence to ourselves—we've always known you were alive. We knew you would bring Vicious down for us. And you did. It was also vengeance for my father, who died in the hands of Vicious. It's enough for me to know that my father's death was not in vain for you killed Vicious and his cronies, eradicating the Red Dragons forever."

Spike tightened his grip on his gun now, "I said, who the fuck are you?"

Apollo wrapped his long fingers around Spike's gun and forced it downwards, "No need for hostility, young one. I come in peace. You never changed at all! Your temper is still as delicate as when my father introduced me to you."

"And who the hell is your father?" Spike's heart was racing, he could hear it. He swears to God (if he believed in one), this man was familiar but he doesn't know who he is. All he knows is that this guy is connected with the syndicates.

"You loved my father. You loved him as if he was your father, too." Apollo smiled, "And in return, you became my father's favorite student slash syndicate. He completely trusted in you, more than he could trust his other student, Vicious."

Spike's eyes widened. His arms finally dropped to his sides. He mumbled, "You mean you're…Tai Yang…?"

"I'm glad you remembered, Spike! It's almost flattering!" Apollo said in delight, "That's right! I'm Tai Yang! Or at least I **was** Tai Yang Yenrai, the son of Mao Yenrai, your beloved Capo in the Red Dragon Syndicate. Isn't this a nice little reunion?"

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**Confrontation. Revelation. Confession. Goodbye, adieu. But this is not yet the end. Truth, love, hurt, moving on. There's always more than what meets the eye.**

**Session 10: Adieu**

"_**You have some secrets that she doesn't know, Tai Yang… and she has some secrets that you don't know."**_

—**Spike Spiegel**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Sorry wasn't able to update for more than a month. Well, all I can say is that this fic is about to end. So how is it going to end? You have to stay tuned to find out! ;]

**Leave a review before you go! ;]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	10. Adieu

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I don't own Cowboy Bebop. I don't own its song entitled _Adieu_. The mentioned series and song rightfully belong to their creators.

* * *

**(Previously…)**

Spike tightened his grip on his gun now, "I said, who the fuck are you?"

Apollo wrapped his long fingers around Spike's gun and forced it downwards, "No need for hostility, young one. I come in peace. You never changed at all! Your temper is still as delicate as when my father introduced me to you."

"And who the hell is your father?" Spike's heart was racing, he could hear it. He swears to God (if he believed in one), this man was familiar but he doesn't know who he is. All he knows is that this guy is connected with the syndicates.

"You loved my father. You loved him as if he was your father, too." Apollo smiled, "And in return, you became my father's favorite student slash syndicate. He completely trusted in you, more than he could trust his other student, Vicious."

Spike's eyes widened. His arms finally dropped to his sides. He mumbled, "You mean you're…Tai Yang…?"

"I'm glad you remembered, Spike! It's almost flattering!" Apollo said in delight, "That's right! I'm Tai Yang! Or at least I **was** Tai Yang Yenrai, the son of Mao Yenrai, your beloved Capo in the Red Dragon Syndicate. Isn't this a nice little reunion?"

* * *

**(Session 10: Adieu)**

They were now seated. Spike managed to get both him and Tai Yang—err, Apollo, chairs. This is going to be a long talk.

"Are you legally a Volakis? I mean," Spike looked at Apollo's serene face, "you're Mao's son. He's a syndicate, and not only a syndicate, he's a Capo."

"Of course, I am legally a Volakis." Apollo snickered, "My Mom formally changed my name along with her divorce with Dad. She said she didn't want me to be remembered as a syndicate's son, but rather, as a son of business tycoons."

"Your mother didn't know that Mao was a syndicate?"

"Since she met him, she does," Apollo replied, "but she became fed up. Apparently, her brother also knew about Dad being a member of a syndicate. Uncle had raised Mom ever since their parents died in an accident, and he had very strong principles. So he never favored Dad at all. And it had come to a point when Mom had decided to make the ultimate sacrifice. She loved Dad, but she had to divorce him because of the family business. And they were divorced since... I don't know, maybe when I was 16? It was a long time ago."

"But you were in your 20's when I first met you. Your father called you Tai Yang, and you still lived in Mars then."

"The Metropolis Court granted me visiting rights, but with security escorts, as Mom petitioned. The Court knew that Dad was a syndicate, and they didn't want criminals in Deimos, plus, I was already capable of traveling. They banned Dad from Deimos and had him blacklisted and had ordered all law enforcers and the Deimos Hyperspace Authority to 'arrest when seen' or to 'shoot upon resistance'. So that's why the Court insisted that I should just visit him instead. Mom was sure anyway that even Dad won't let me get harmed in Mars. Mom also petitioned the Court's silence regarding my family background, especially that of my father, along with the complete change of my name." Apollo explained.

"So that's why Mao asked me to come with him to meet 'a very important person' whom I must assure to be safe throughout his stay in Mars," Spike understood, "And that's when I met you."

"Yeah, Dad frequently changes the syndicates he takes with him when I go to see him." Apollo nodded, "So I was about 20-something when I met you. And to him, I'll always be Tai Yang Yenrai. After all, he was the one who gave me that name. Mom likes the name, too, but she wanted me to bear the Volakis name. So as homage to the name my Dad gave me, she named me Apollo, after the Greek god of the sun, because Tai Yang is the Chinese deity of the sun."

"So I'd take it that it was your Mom who ran the Deimos Corp?"

"No." Apollo sighed, "Deimos Corp was pioneered by Mom's brother, who happens to be Ana's father."

"If that's the case, why were you the one who took over?" Spike asked while he watched Apollo sigh again.

"…because Dad gave Uncle a hefty amount of money to get Deimos Corp out of bankruptcy. And when I say hefty, I mean three billion woolongs," Apollo told Spike, "Dad has been working with the syndicates for almost all of his life. You wouldn't deny that you make a lot of money…illegally, would you? Even as a neophyte, one earns hundreds of thousands of woolongs. Dad has been a Capo for a very long time, until his death. He earns tens or hundreds of millions in a year. He divorced a fully-capable ex-wife with and an old enough son, so he needs not sustain them both… although he still did send me some money. Deimos Corp back then was not a big company yet, and it was burdened with debts, to the point that it was bankrupt. Uncle didn't want to give up and so did Mom, who was his Senior Executive Vice President. Mom told Uncle that she could probably ask Dad to pitch in and help. Uncle was not exactly Dad's fan, so he was totally against it. But, as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. So Uncle sought Dad's financial help. Uncle was very grateful, so he promised Dad that he would make me take over the company once Uncle could no longer work."

"Didn't that leave Ana a bit on a disadvantage? Isn't she supposed to be in your place?" Spike queried.

Apollo gave a hearty laugh, "You have no idea how angry she was. In her anger, she dyed her hair a bright red, much to her father's embarrassment. She became a rebel. She was foul-mouthed, she was seen gambling often, and she would often come home the next morning drunk beyond comprehension."

"So that explains it. Why such a noble woman like her would have the guts to shout profanity at me." Spike rolled his eyes.

"But she was a very bright child. She didn't disappoint her father academically. I doubt that she'd even want to fall behind her grades. Until she met a guy while she was taking her doctorate degree," Apollo smiled upon the memory, "who apparently was my best friend. He was her classmate at that time. They both fell in love, and because Ana's father disapproved of their relationship, they eloped to Ganymede. She married the guy. She found out that her husband was the head of security technologies of Deimos Corp and was also my best friend. She felt betrayed because he concealed this from her, so she planned to divorce him. However, she wasn't able to bring herself to do so when she found out that he was very sick. My best friend lived most of his life in his home planet Venus, see."

Spike remembered a previous bounty—Rocco Bonnaro, whose sister Stella, had the Venus sickness. It was possible that this guy whom Apollo was talking about eventually had it, too.

"So I'm guessing that it's not very hard to tell what he had—the Venus sickness. He had it pretty bad. He just suddenly became blind. Doctors told him that the spores' pollens were stored in his lungs and his intestines for a very long time, so it became too toxic and beyond treatable. On his deathbed, my best friend asked of Ana three things: one, keep her hair red because he absolutely loves it; two, come to terms with her father and with me and live in Deimos, and; three, have his remains cremated and taken back to Deimos." Apollo explained, "He had arranged a lawyer back in Deimos who would help her take over his position, he also apparently developed Sofia, an intelligent computer system exclusively for her as his parting gift for her. Sofia was his doctorate dissertation and he received several accolades for its success, but he refused Sofia to be commercialized. Ana loved her husband dearly, so she did as she was told. She kept her hair red, she returned to Deimos and reconciled with Uncle and with me, and she kept his cremated remains in an exclusive mausoleum she ordered to be built somewhere in Deimos. It wasn't long and Ana assumed her late husband's position in the company. Ana kept Sofia in her home."

Spike lit a cigarette and took a long drag, "Well, ain't that sad."

"Have you ever wondered…who took you to the hospital two years ago?" Apollo's face became serious.

Spike had a smile as his eyes widened for the nth time that day, "It was you?!"

"That's right!" Apollo nodded, "I've been keeping an eye on you since Dad died a cruel death in the hands of Vicious. He had loyalists, and I apparently knew those loyalists. I wasn't a syndicate, he didn't want me to get involved at all, but I was really fueled by anger, and I knew that you would eventually find out that Vicious killed Dad. I knew you'd be very angry, too. So I waited for the right time and had made arrangements with Dad's loyalists who remained in the syndicate, I told them to wait for you, no matter how long it takes. And when you came… You didn't know, but they helped you kill all of Vicious' cronies. I instructed them that no matter what happens, they should keep you alive, because otherwise, they will not receive my promises of a new life that awaits them. I didn't want to taint my hands, and I should know better than to mess with Vicious—only you have the guts to engage him in a fight. I'm very glad to see you alive and well, and I'm also glad to see my Dad's loyalists living better lives, away from being syndicates."

"My, well then, thanks for your kindness." Spike said as he blew out smoke.

"Dad always knew you'd be alive, even if you faked your death five years ago when you fought Vicious and his allies," Apollo leaned back into his seat, "I guess I had it in me, Dad's trust in you. He knew you were alive five years ago and never stopped looking for you, just like how I trusted that you would be alive two years ago."

"You have to thank your mom, for not looking like your dad, Tai Yang" Spike sneered, "Otherwise, you could've been dead two years ago."

"That, I am most certain. The Volakis blood is strong, I must say," Apollo quirked an eyebrow, "By the way you talk, would you rather be dead, Spike?"

Spike lazily flicked the cigarette in his fingers and replied, "Some unhappy camper here thinks so… and you weren't just a philanthropist towards me, but also to Faye—uhh, Patricia. She said you paid for her millions of debts?"

"Yes, I did," Apollo answered, "I wanted Patricia to live a new life, too. And besides, I can't rub off Dad's contribution in my mind—the reason why Deimos Corp is so successful now is because Uncle borrowed Dad's ill-gotten wealth. That's why I want to give away so much of my money, so much of my company's money…I want to erase his money. Mind you, Patricia's debt is one big chunk of money erased in my mind. She has no more debt to worry, and I have less guilt."

"And you plan to take her in your family?" Spike took a long drag in his cigarette, and exhaled sharply as he stared at Apollo squarely, "You have some secrets that **she** doesn't know, **Tai Yang**… and she has some secrets that **you** don't know."

"Oh really?" Apollo's smile looked crooked…wicked.

This was it. Though Faye didn't want Apollo to know, Spike wanted him to know. Spike wanted to test how far this man can go for Faye, if he can bear the truth that surrounds her.

"First of all, her real name is Faye Valentine. She has a bounty on her head because she's a swindler. The bounty is six million woolongs." Spike watched Apollo gape. Bingo! Spike could feel his pride swell, and continued, "We found her in a casino. Then we tied her up here. Afterwards, she joined us in bounty hunting. She was pretty bad most of the time—she gets her ass in trouble with men in bars because she dresses in this extremely skimpy yellow outfit that leaves nothing to the imagination. She gambles a lot, smokes a lot, drinks a lot, and even eats a lot. She's never lady-like at all before than she is now."

Apollo still looked surprised. Spike took a long drag from his cigarette but he couldn't keep himself from smiling. He was enjoying Apollo's reaction.

"Are you ready for the biggest bomb on her?" Spike blew out the smoke and continued, "She may look like she's perfectly, what, 25, I guess? But the truth is, she's almost 80 years old, if you're going to include the time when she was cryogenically preserved. She was one of the victims during the Gate incident—yes, that one where the Gate Corporation, one of your partner companies, screwed up big time and the Earth's moon shattered, rendering the 'blue marble' inhabitable. She sustained injuries that were at that time, beyond treatable, so they put her in cold sleep until such time that medical technology could heal her. That's the reason why she had so big a debt—the one which you paid. Are you still considering her as a potential 'Volakis', now that you know the secrets which she didn't want to let you know ever?"

Apollo kept his surprised look, and suddenly he…laughed. It almost sounded so sinister. Now it was Spike's turn to gape.

"Oh Spike, with my wealth, you think I won't know?" Apollo calmed down from his laughing fits, "Wouldn't I wonder why she had so much debt? Of course, I have hired people to get the information for me. And when I did, I confronted Ana. She had assisted Miss **Valentine** fake the documents for her citizenship in Deimos. But I will remain oblivious until such time Miss **Valentine** decides to tell me about her. I am in no rush. With what I found out about her, I am more convinced that she deserves her new life. This doesn't change my intention to make her a Volakis."

Spike sighed in defeat unintentionally, but Apollo caught sight of that. Apollo had this sort of sinister side to him—he was, after all, his father's son. And definitely, Mao had an evil side to him, mainly the reason why he had climbed up to be a Capo of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Apollo has this sick obsession to see others defeated under his will. So he worded, "Are you **jealous**, Spike?"

Spike had his eyes narrowed. What. The. Hell?! Spike Spiegel never gets jealous. NEVER. How dare this man say he was jealous!?

"I like to play with other people's emotions, I know how. That's my secret to my success. I **know** how to manipulate people, either by influence of money or by playing 'puppet master' with their feelings. It's probably in my genes, thanks to Dad." Apollo's smile now turned into a triumphant grin and he held his chin high as he watched Spike stare at him intensely, "You think I didn't see your face when Patricia saw me, called my name and came up to me? Ahh, but I wanted to see more of that. So I cradled Patricia's face and I watched you tighten your fists, crumpling your cigarette in the process. That's why you stood up and decided to put it out on your foot. I know Patricia **likes** me. So I played along. I wanted to see **you** squirm while I do not have to taint my own hands."

"I wasn't jealous." Spike scoffed, "I was disgusted."

"Weren't you wishing that she'd stayed? Didn't you wish that it was you who cradled her beautiful face? Don't you find it annoying that an '**unhappy camper**' wants you dead, while she is delighted and immediately scoots to me upon knowing my presence?" Apollo continued to taunt Spike.

"ENOUGH." Spike hissed through gritted teeth, "Disgusting nonsense."

"The mere fact that you're angry right now," Apollo pushed his eyeglasses back and continued, "only proves that I am right. Absolutely, undoubtedly right."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to marry into your family," Spike looked away and crushed his cigarette under his shoe.

Apollo's eyes widened, "Really? Who is she marrying?"

"Enough pretending."

"No, no. I'm being authentic this time. I don't know she had met any Volakis bachelors," Apollo really looked surprised, "Did she tell you? Oh, this is something I'd love to know!"

Spike pushed his jaws together. He is absolutely starting to loathe his beloved Capo's son.

"You."

Apollo had his mouth form an 'o' before suddenly bursting into another huge fits of laughter as his fingers fiddled with the first three buttons on his dress shirt. Spike watched irately as Apollo laughed at him.

"Good Lord!" Apollo ceased laughing and showed him a necklace with a ring in it, "I am a happily married man, Spike! I'm also a father of three children with my wife back at Deimos!"

"Then are you taking Faye as a mistress? A concubine? Wait, is that even legal in Deimos?"

Apollo facepalmed and laughed again, "Heavens! NO! I love my wife dearly!"

Spike was now confused, "So how would you make Faye a Volakis?"

"I'll have her as Ana's adopted sister. It's a legal action permitted by Deimos laws. There will be some paperwork needed and then a couple of court hearings, probably." Apollo smiled as he buttoned up his dress shirt again, "It's in our family's tradition. We now have probably around 30 persons adopted into the Volakis name. Some of them are now even presidents of some of Deimos Corp's companies. You can look it up in the internet. Those persons are collectively called the 'Volakis Periphery', carrying the name by decree, but not by blood."

Spike now feels like a complete idiot because he jumped into conclusions and yes, probably for feeling a little bit—A LITTLE BIT—jealous of Apollo, because he still plans to keep Faye around him.

"Or I could take a suggestion, as well," Apollo held his chin and thoughtfully eyed Spike, "I could also play matchmaker and have her marry a Volakis bachelor. I'd say that there are quite a handful of fine unmarried men in the family. Ahh, yes. If she marries a Volakis, no more paper works, no more court hearings."

Apollo watched Spike roll his eyes. The older man snickered, "She says she won't probably ever love again. I won't deny that Patricia and I have become close friends. Even my wife and children adore her a lot. When I asked her if she liked anyone in particular, she said 'yes', but also mentioned that he was gone because he was stubborn."

Spike furrowed his eyebrows together. An unknown feeling started to bubble from his gut.

"Her love for him overwhelmed her, to the point that at times, she lost control. If you didn't know, she underwent some serious psychological help, Ana told me."

"Faye told me about it."

"Did she ever tell you why she fell into that state?"

Silence. Apollo took that as a 'no'.

"It was her love for that man," Apollo explained, "She probably fell into that state again lately, as I took notice of her wounded left hand. She often cuts herself on that hand about a year ago. When I asked her who the man was, she just smiled at me and said that it didn't matter because he was just a memory she wished she didn't have for it had only caused her so much pain…because even if he was alive, he would still pine for his beloved who had died as well. She said she would rather be suffering on her own like that. She felt like she deserved it. It was punishment for her 'stupidity'—for loving a dead man, who chased his love to the afterlife. Then my wife cracked a question and asked if she liked me, if she had a crush on me. Patricia said, of course. My wife is aware that I always charm the ladies, but she also knows of my loyalty, so she just laughed at Patricia. You know, I have this feeling that my wife sees me as her trophy. She always tells other ladies who like me that I was already tied to her. You should meet my wife, Spike. She's got quite a sense of humor."

Apollo sighed as he stood up, "Well, whoever Lady Stein's dead man is, I hope he turns in his grave. He couldn't experience for himself an undying love. That's really sad."

Apollo reached into his suit's inside pocket and it looked like a booklet. He reached it out to Spike and told him, "This is a special Deimos passport that I give to my esteemed guests. It gives the owner immunity for probing at any of our satellite's hyperspace gates. Your name is printed on it. I'd like to have you come around often. This passport only allows one, so I advise you to come with your MONO craft. When you do insist to come by, the Deimos Hyperspace Authority will inform me of your presence and they will escort you to one of my guest villas. From there, my personnel will make it a point that you are catered well…and by the way, you may only call me Tai Yang when it's just the two of us. I miss that name, too, but I do not want it used publicly."

Spike took the passport and he stood up as well.

"We have to get going. I'm sure Ana's worried sick about Patricia. And I have work back at Deimos," Apollo smiled at Spike, "I am very glad that we met again, Spike. I hope I'll see you around Deimos soon and often. Feel free to visit me anytime. I can never be too busy to see my father's favorite."

* * *

Faye's eyes widened as she and Apollo were escorted to the Bebop's hangar.

"Where did you get this?" Faye asked Apollo.

He shrugged and told her, "Ana told me you were into MONO crafts. She said you saved up to buy this. I think you know that although I know how to pilot MONO crafts, I'm not into them, so I don't have one. I wanted to rent a Cruiser, but everything was rented out. So Ana got me this. She said you won't mind."

Spike and Jet heard that. Jet sat at the helmsman's seat while Spike stood next to him.

(_**A/N:**_** I reviewed the series. It seems that they can hear any conversation in the hangar when they're at the bridge. Whereas, people in the hangar can't hear any conversation at the bridge, unless the transmitter there is activated.**)

"Goddamn liar," Spike had a lopsided smile.

"She's pretty good at it," Jet told Spike. Jet was still oblivious that Apollo knew everything about Faye.

Spike was referring to Apollo's remarks, but he decided to go with Jet, "She's still one hell of a conniving woman."

Faye sighed and smiled at Apollo, "Of course, I don't mind. I'm just surprised that you decided to use this instead of a Cruiser."

"Up you go, Lady Stein. We have people waiting at home," Apollo said as he offered a hand to assist Faye up the cockpit. Apollo looked up at where one of the hangar cameras was. He knows that Spike would be watching from the bridge. Apollo winked at the camera while she still held Faye's hand.

Spike looked away when he saw that. Jet caught sight of that wink, too. "What the hell was that? Is he gay?"

"No, just some extremely photogenic narcissist," Spike replied.

Faye let go of Apollo as she hoisted herself up to the pod. Well, this usually just seats one person. So she tried to sit on the cockpit's vacant area, although there was no seat. Now she felt bad for squeezing in that fat Whitney in her one-man-only cockpit…nah, she doesn't feel bad at all.

"Thank you so much for your very kind accommodation, gentlemen. We shall get going," Apollo bowed at the hangar camera before following Faye into the Red Tail's cockpit. He closed the cockpit and the Red Tail's engine hummed to life.

Jet pulled a lever to open the hatch as the Red Tail prepares for liftoff. In the process, the gravity was switched off, so Spike and Jet floated. Spike still had a question in his mind. It was a question that stayed with him for two years. He should've asked it yesterday, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Alas, he couldn't stop the Red Tail as it now lifted off and flew out of the hatch. The hatch was closed and gravity was back in the Bebop.

Spike ran to the common room to find Ed idly rolling on the floor.

"Ed, can you open a line to the Red Tail?" Spike asked.

"Ed will try." Ed replied as she got up and typed at her computer, and the Red Tail's blinking icon showed on the map, which was departing Bebop with gradual acceleration.

After a few minutes, "There!" Ed exclaimed.

* * *

"What did you two talk about?" Faye asked Apollo who seemed focused on piloting the Red Tail.

Apollo gleamed at Faye and told her, "Spike told me about your past."

Faye gaped. He doesn't have the goddamn right to—

"I asked him," Apollo interrupted, as if reading her thoughts, "I mean, why would they kidnap you and ask for no ransom? There's got to be something. He didn't want to talk about it at first, but I really insisted, **Faye Valentine**."

Faye had downcast eyes. For sure Apollo is disgusted.

"This was yours, wasn't it?" Apollo smiled at her, "You were a bounty hunter, back with those guys. You are nearly eight decades old because of cold sleep."

Faye nodded in silence. This might be the end of her friendship with Apollo.

"If it had ever come across your mind that I probably won't want to adopt you anymore into the Periphery because of what I know," Apollo gave her a reassuring smile and told her, "You are mistaken, Faye. Now I have more reason to adopt you. You deserve a new life."

Faye could feel her eyes sting, but the tears won't come. She was just so happy. She spoke almost airlessly, "Thank you…"

Then, the Red Tail's communicator opened and Faye was surprised to see Spike on the screen, sporting a dead serious face.

"Faye," Spike began.

"Uhh, what?" Faye replied as she glanced at Apollo. He just nodded at her.

"There's been one question that I forgot to ask," Spike continued, "Why did you leave the Bebop two years ago? Why did it matter to you if I was dead?"

"You said you had your closure when we talked, hadn't you?" Faye held her chin up and told him.

"Just answer the goddamn question, Faye." Spike retorted.

"_It's now or never."_ Faye thought to herself, _"This will be the last time. This will be the last time. He told you that, didn't he? So you have absolutely nothing to lose. Nothing. I won't lose this time, I will have __**my closure**__."_

"The answer is in my room," Faye said blankly and reached for the button near the communicator to drop the line.

"He's the dead man, isn't he?" Apollo asked Faye.

"Pardon?" Faye didn't quite catch that.

"He was the dead man you were talking about when we had that dinner at my house, with my wife and kids." Apollo smiled at her, "He was the man you loved?"

Faye smiled as she held her left hand. It was in pain no more. She shook her head and replied, "No, Apollo. He **is** the man I **love**."

"Present tense," Apollo snickered, "You will never love again, huh?"

"He's the only man I chose to love," Faye sighed, "I know I will never have him. He's not mine. He's owned by someone else. I'm so stupid. But I still choose to love him."

"Set fire to the rain," Apollo spoke, "now I understand."

Faye nodded, "It's how I felt—about my grief on his death, about my unrequited love, about my life's so many sorrows. Funny how he cheated death once more."

Apollo snickered, "Death might not like him, so he let the guy live."

Faye sneered as well, "Could be."

* * *

Spike hurried to Faye's room and looked for what she meant was the answer. He opened all drawers, looked all over the floor, turned the bed, patted down the pillows, removed the bed sheets, and then he opened the cabinet. He was getting frustrated now, so he began searching for the pockets.

His heart jumped as he felt a paper crumple underneath his touch as he dug his hand in one of her red jackets. It was a folded piece of paper. He opened it in a hurry and there it was, in very beautiful penmanship which was certainly Faye's. His breath hitched in his throat as he read it,

_I love you, Spike. Always had, always will._

_Since you said that we're not going to see or to talk to each other again after this, I might as well let you know. And by letting you know, I might finally set myself free from the sadness I feel whenever I think about how I feel for you. You read that right, I fell into a depressed state because of you—your 'death' and how I cannot have you either way, for I know you belong to Julia. I respected her immediately when I met her. I understand why any man, such as yourself, would love her. I felt like a pirate, you know? Julia had the exclusive rights to love you, and I'm claiming to do the same thing. I guess I felt pretty bad for myself for having chosen such a lousy man to love. I love you and it feels wrong on so many levels. I'll forget you. I'll move on. I'm my own woman. I'm Faye Valentine, after all, Poker Alice, the Queen of Hearts, the one who always has a spare card._

_Fucking bastard! You messed me up! You better not show yourself up after this or I'll kick your ass! You can envy me now, lunkhead! I'm earning a lot of money and I can eat great food, while you keep up with Jet's cooking! Look who has the last laugh now! Poker Alice wins again! Bwahahaha!_

_As they say, easy come, easy go. So, this is goodbye, cowboy. _

_P.S: Do me a really good favor to save some shame on my face. Burn this after reading. It's just paper with a few scribbles. Nothing more._

* * *

_Oh how I love you so, lost in those memories  
And now you've gone  
I feel the pain, feeling like a fool, adieu  
_

"So what's 'the answer' in your room?" Apollo asked as he engaged the Red Tail into docking sequence when he saw the ship where Ana is on.

Faye placed her hands on top of each other on her lap and sighed audibly. She smiled and looked at the infinite universe outside of the Red Tail. She murmured, "A fucked up confession. He said we won't see or talk to each other again, so I decided that I have nothing to lose if I tell him."

"Way to go." Apollo smiled at her and reassured her, "Because of that, you're probably one step closer to moving on."

"Really? You think so?" Faye replied idly as she felt her tears roll down her cheeks, "I love him. I really do. I want to forget him, but I… I can't."

"We can't always have our way, Faye," Apollo told her soothingly.

Faye nodded and wiped her tears with the back of her hands, "This should be the last time that I'll cry for you, lunkhead. Adieu… Spike."

_My love for you burns deep  
Inside me, so strong  
Embers of times we had  
And now here I stand lost in a memory  
I see your face and smile._

_(Take it easy, Cowgirl…)_

* * *

**Does happy ever after exist? No. At least not for Faye Valentine. Why? Well, all those fairytales are full of shit. One more fucking love song, she'll be sick. This ain't a fairytale, darling. It isn't a love song either.**

**Session 11: Deimos Swing Part 1**

"_**I dedicate this song to that lunkhead who told me that I sing off-key."  
**_—**Patricia Stein**

**See you space cowboy!**

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Stay tuned for the two-part epilogue of this fanfic! Whew! And thanks for all of you who have been patronizing this fanfic. The end is soon. But I will make sure it's all worth it. ;]

**Feed me some reviews! Omnomnomnom! :3**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	11. Deimos Swing Part 1

"Spike…"

The voice was divine, it sounded so heavenly, so angelic, so pure, like it was unreal, like it was from another world. Then, flashes of gold and white surrounded his eyesight and warmth filled his body.

"Julia…" Spike murmured as he saw his beloved in front of him, pulling him in her embrace.

"I love you, Spike." Julia whispered in his ear as they both closed their eyes.

"I love you, too, Julia…" Spike inhaled her scent that was uniquely hers.

"I only want your happiness," Julia cupped Spike's face and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before continuing, "This is just a dream."

"I don't want it to end, then." Spike smiled as he stared into her eternal blue eyes.

"I'm dead, Spike, and that is the truth you cannot run away from," Julia placed her hands on Spike's shoulders and continued, "I don't want to keep you trapped in something that isn't real."

"If it's with you, then I don't mind."

"Your happiness is in reality," Julia beamed at Spike, "It's okay, Spike. We had our time. It's **her** turn, now. Please set me free for I'm setting you free."

Spike looked at Julia with confused eyes, "What? What do you mean, Julia? I don't understand."

"Oh Spike," Julia ran her fingers on Spike's face, "give yourself a second chance at life, that's all  
I'm saying."

"I really don't get it."

"Stop lying to yourself, I know how you feel towards **her**. Come on now, don't be such a child." Julia chuckled, "It's time."

Julia started to become a blur, Spike started to chase her but he can't grasp the image before his eyes.

"Julia, wait!" Spike exclaimed.

"The wonderful person destined for her wasn't born yet during the time she lived, so she waited, and waited. She waited a long time to find the one for her. She has gone through so much times of difficulty, but she managed to get by. I feel like I robbed her of her time," Julia's voice explained while she faded away, "You are her wonderful person, Spike. Wake up. Your happiness is in reality. I am a dream, just a dream. She is your reality."

"What are you talking about, Julia?" Spike called out, "Who is **she**?"

Then, a young girl's voice echoed in his mind, "Is there a wonderful person beside me?"

A vision of a shattered moon, an explosion, shrill cries of pain and agony echoed. Also, a chilling coldness rushed through his body and consumed him.

"Who am I? Where am I?" It was a woman's voice. It sure sounded familiar, though.

"Is there a wonderful person beside me?" it was that young girl's voice again.

"Yes." Julia's voice resounded and everything was white.

Spike woke up with a start. He was in a luxurious-looking room. He raked a hand through his moss-colored hair. He sighed audibly as he recalled that dream.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. He reached for his cigarette pack on the bedside table. He placed a stick on his lips, lit it, and took in a deep breath, and the ember at the end of his cigarette turned to an angry orange.

A knock was heard on his door. Followed by a curt voice of a lady, saying, "Mr. Spiegel, the one you wish to see is here."

Julia was right in that dream. It was time.

* * *

**(Session 11: Deimos Swing Part 1)**

_This is dedicated to a guy whom I loved secretly for more than three years. He doesn't know it but I'll let the world know, and will always encourage those who know to join me in prayer to wish that he is the 'wonderful person' for me. I think God has a reason as to why He brought us closer after all these years. I'd like to believe in serendipity, but hey, set your expectations low, right? And just like everyone else, I'm afraid to walk out of the friendzone._

_This is also a salute to everyone who had unrequitedly loved people in their lives, who waited, who longed, and who lost, just like Faye Valentine. May we all find that 'wonderful person' meant for us._

_And to all of you, happy Valentine's Day! Here's my gift. Sorry it took a while._

* * *

"Sorry buddy," a muscled guy in a black and gray corporate suit with a pair of shades on, told another man at the entrance of what seemed to be a party hall, "if you do not have an invitation to this party, you can't come in." The guy in the corporate suit was part of the security personnel.

"Oh please, let me in! I really want to see her!" the man pleaded, "Or at least give these roses to her?"

The security guy sighed and pointed at the giant hologram near the entrance door, in big glowing red letters, "STRICTLY NO FLOWERS ALLOWED."

"Hard luck for you, buddy," the security guy apologetically told the man as he grabbed the bouquet of long stem red roses and threw it at the extremely huge pile of roses, of all colors, mostly red, in the garbage bin, "The celebrant hates flowers. Off you go, Sir. We have a lot of other **invited** guests in the line behind you."

The man sighed in defeat and walked away.

* * *

"Call me, call me. Let me know you are there. Call me, call me. I wanna know you still care. Come on now, won't you ease my mind? Reasons for me to find you, peace of mind. What can I do to get me to you?" the singer sang as the live band played. The ambiance was cozy and relaxing. They were playing jazz and blues, and a bunch of old songs from 2000's and 2010's.

They were in a function hall, and the lights were dim at the banquet area where the band played on stage. However, bright lights illuminated the exhibit area not too far from there the people sang along, ate, drank, chatter, and be merry. There were life-size portraits of people, places, and events. The crowd consisted of different people with cameras strapped over their napes, some of the people were clad in corporate attires, while some possessed very beautiful and handsome faces, and they were the eyecandies of those people who had cameras with them.

The exhibit items were portraits of photographs taken by one photographer. A lot of people particularly pooled around one extremely large portrait with a frame of gold. It was guarded with laser lights to prevent anyone from coming close to it. The title of the picture was posted on a large plaque beside it, along with its description, and the list of accolades it received. The people who stared at the picture were at awe, some of them nodding their heads as they chattered about the picture. The title of the picture was _Set Fire to the Rain_.

* * *

She sighed as she looked at her reflection on the mirror and played the ends of her hair with her fingers.

She took a sip from her glass of soda and set it back down on the vanity table. She looked at her reflection again and this time, she touched her cheeks and inspected the skin around her eyes. She sighed in contentment when she found no wrinkles yet.

"Not bad for an octogenarian," a woman's voice said.

She looked up and saw her friend standing by the doorframe, "Happy 80th birthday."

Patricia smiled and told her, "Years spent in cryogenic preservation should not be included, **child**." She said in sarcasm, voicing out as if she was really old, "I'm only 26 years old, mind you."

"So you're 26 years old and you're inspecting for wrinkles on your face," Ana snorted, as she rolled her eyes, "Yeah, right."

Patricia reached for the pen on her desk and threw it at Ana, "Just making sure that medical technology is not backfiring yet. I might wake up one day and find myself in soggy skin. That's just… eww."

"Geez, Trish," Ana sighed as she inspected her fingernails, "You should see the pile of flowers outside. I mean, that's like the third garbage bin we asked to be picked off since the party started. And they're all full of flowers, mostly red roses."

"I hate flowers, I really do." Patricia slumped in her chair, "Especially roses, the red ones, I hate them the most. Flowers wilt and rot. They're impractical, useless, short-lived, and not to mention, they're fragile. I detest them. Waste of time and money."

"Well, aren't you a cold one?" Ana snickered, "Is that the reason or is it because it reminds you of—"

"It's called wisdom, **dear child**." Patricia scowled.

"All right, whatever you say, Trish. By the way, Apollo wanted to apologize that he can't come today," Ana approached Patricia and handed her a box, "He told me to come by his place earlier and asked me to give you this."

Patricia took the box and tore the gift wrapper away. It was a computer tablet.

"I was planning on buying one," Patricia smirked, "I'll call him later to say thanks."

"His wife and his kids will be here in about two hours," Ana informed Patricia, "VIP treatment?"

Patricia responded, "Of course."

"Aren't you coming out?"

"My feet are sore! Whose idea was it anyway to hold an all-day and all-night party?!" Patricia exclaimed.

Ana laughed, "It's special! It's your 80th birthday!"

"—**TWENTY-SIXTH** birthday! Damn it!"

"Oh, would you just stop lying to yourself?" Ana teased, "You go ahead and rest. You still have lots of hours into this party. And it's just afternoon. If you would like to take a nap, go on ahead, **Granny**."

Patricia let out what sounded like a growl as she gave death glares to Ana.

"Don't be hard on yourself, Trish," Ana giggled as she walked away, "You really look like you're just 22 or something. I'll send someone to bring you warm water for your sore feet."

Patricia sighed and looked at herself in the mirror again. She touched the ends of her hair once more. She had her hair trimmed to how she had kept it three years ago, to match the skimpy yellow and red outfit she wore back then. She smiled and whispered to herself, "Happy 80th birthday, Faye Valentine."

Today's date is August 14, 2074. Biologically, Faye's 80th birthday, but technically, it was her 26th birthday.

She yawned. Yeah, maybe that nap might come in handy right now. She will be entertaining more guests tonight. But first, she must call Apollo.

She reached for her cellphone and called Apollo's number on speed dial.

* * *

"Hi there. Happy birthday!" Apollo greeted with a twinkle in his eyes as he set down the glass of whiskey on the table beside the recliner he sat on, "You're very much welcome. Did you like it? Yes? Well, isn't that flattering? My wife and my kids are very excited to see you later. My wife has been wandering around malls the past few days to buy you gifts. I'm really sorry I can't go with them tonight. Ahh, is that so? Okay then. Happy birthday again! Bye!"

Apollo sighed as he kept his cellphone back to his suit's inside pocket and stared at his visitor who was drinking whiskey while he was seated on a similar recliner across him. Apollo eyed at the paper set on the table in between them. He picked it up and read it.

"That's the nth time you read that note," Apollo's visitor said as he refilled his glass with whiskey.

"And you've always brought this note with you in all your visits," Apollo delighted as he continued reading, "Considering that this might be your what? Fifth visit? I'm sure you visited today with much purpose. You chose the date wisely, my friend."

"I'm not so sure if she'll be very enthusiastic to see me, that's why I'm hesitating to go to her party and use your invitation, Tai Yang," Spike spoke as he took a sip from his glass of whiskey, "And by the way, I always have that note with me."

"Well, isn't that a bit rude of you?" Apollo quipped as he set the note down, "You totally disregarded the favor this lady had asked of you—to burn the note after reading it. You say you carry it with you wherever you go. Why? Do you consider this as another feather on your hat? Or a souvenir, if you may? And then you have no intentions to visit a good lady's 80th birthday celebration? My, my, you really possess the coldness of an ex-syndicate, don't you? My father truly had made a masterpiece out of you."

"I really can't get used to this cynical side of you, you know that?" Spike scowled at Apollo, "Does your wife or even Ana know that side of you?"

"Of course they do," Apollo replied, "You're trying to change the topic, aren't you?"

Silence.

"You always never had the best of luck of trying to catch her here whenever you visit me, Spike. You should've known how busy that woman can be. Her job sometimes requires her to travel for some periods of time. In fact, right after she got back from her forced visit to you guys, she had accepted more jobs than usual, most of them require her to hop from one planet or satellite to another." Apollo spoke, "You chose to visit me on August 14, which is the date today. Isn't that a little too coincidental? You know it, you're very sure she'll be here in Deimos. Now convince me that today's visit is not purposeful."

Spike just leaned back in his seat and seemed uninterested with what Apollo was saying.

"Ah! My bad! Belated happy birthday!" Apollo delighted, "You had your 30th birthday about two months ago, right? Welcome to the thirties' club!" Apollo snickered, "And you're trying to chase after an 80-year-old woman. Well, aren't you fond of cougars?"

"What the hell?" Spike glared at Apollo, "She's just 26 years old—"

"She's 80 and you know it! You're 30 and you don't have a family yet. Good Lord!" Apollo threw his hands up and smiled mischievously at Spike, "When I was your age, I already had my second child!"

"Tai Yang, where is our conversation heading to, really?"

Apollo sneered, "Let's cut to the chase then. I advise you strongly to show up in her party."

Spike shrugged, "I might ruin her day."

"Worry not," Apollo grinned at Spike, "she still loves you dearly…but yes, you might not leave this satellite without at least getting a slap across your face, or something."

Spike shook his head and snickered, "I'm not so sure about that, that she still loves—"

"Ahh, I assure you, for she loved you even after you 'died'. She loved you even though she knows 'she can't have you'. What more now when you're alive and you're chasing after her?" Apollo informed Spike, "Stop lying to yourself, Spike. Wake up."

Spike's eyes narrowed as he remembered a voice, _"Wake up. Your happiness is in reality. I am a dream, just a dream. She is your reality."_

"Now Spike," Apollo placed an elbow on an armrest and he rested his face on his palm and continued, "Take my challenge. And if you succeed on taking my challenge, depending on the outcome, I have proposals for you…and this Tai Yang Yenrai is a man of his word."

* * *

It was nine o'clock in the evening. The party was even livelier now, as more people who knew and who worked with Patricia Stein poured in. There are so many of them, Patricia can't even keep track of who they all were. She couldn't personally talk to each one of her guests because of the whole lot who approached her and talked with her. It was getting really tiring.

"Here, you look tired, have a drink," it was Fresca Harper and she handed Patricia a tall glass, "It's your favorite. Chocolate mudslide or something."

"Thanks, Fresca," Patricia took the drink and had a sip of the thick concoction.

"Happy birthday!" Fresca greeted.

"Thanks!"

"Have any boyfriend yet?"

Patricia choked on her drink and she set the glass on the bar's counter and stared at Fresca wide-eyed, "What the hell?"

"No? Oh c'mon! You're so pretty, it's impossible that you don't have one!" Fresca batted her eyelashes mischievously at Patricia, who only smiled back at her.

"I don't plan to be in a relationship, thank you. At least not anytime soon," Patricia told Fresca.

"_My heart's occupied for a long time now. It will be a while before it becomes vacant…probably never."_ Patricia thought to herself and her smile became tenderer.

"Hey Trish!" Ana called out in the crowd, "It's showtime!"

"Ahh, if you'll excuse me, Fresca," Patricia spoke and Fresca just nodded.

Patricia walked her way onto the stage and the crowd cheered her on. The band stopped playing as she grabbed hold of the microphone. She was wearing a yellow, ruffled, sleeveless blouse, a pair of red faded skinny jeans, and a pair of white high-heeled pumps. She also sported a yellow headband on to fasten her short hair. Homage to what she wore three years ago. But of course, the crowd didn't know that.

"Hi, thank you, all of you, for coming to my birthday," Patricia said rather nervously and matched it with a giggle when the crowd cheered her on, "I hope y'all having a good time."

The crowd said something like a 'yeah'.

"Sorry if I can't thank all of you in person, I'm quite overwhelmed by the number of people who had visited me since this morning, afternoon, and then this evening," Patricia spoke, "I want to take this time to thank Ana Volakis for organizing this party. Trust me, my friend, I don't feel any older."

The crowd laughed at that one. They didn't know that there was a big pun intended for that one.

"Of course, I'd like to thank my fellow photographers here, and my models, too. Fresca Harper's in the house, everyone!"

Fresca was sitting at the bar and just waved her hand when all heads turned to her.

"Just in case you don't know, Fresca was my very cooperative model for the work that you all love, _Set Fire to the Rain_," Patricia informed them, "I hope you guys don't mind if the band or even the DJ would play jazz, blues, and all kinds of really, really old songs. I'm kinda old-fashioned, see."

Patricia pursed her lips together and snickered. She had a few seconds of silence and then spoke again, "I actually have a surprise for you guys."

There were 'ooh's and 'ahh's in the crowd.

She nodded her head and simply said, "I'm going to sing one song for y'all today."

The audience burst into applause and one even shouted, "Patricia, you're so friggin' HOT!"

"Wow, thanks for that kind complement," Patricia blushed a bit, and then continued, "You know, I always refuse to sing. I guess my self-esteem plummeted down when… when some guy told me I sing off-key. And I was just humming, for the love of God! He had the nerves to tell me I was off-key? Some guy he is."

The audience laughed and then there was silence again.

"I'mma show him that I **can **sing—not hum, but **sing**. I can definitely sing **on-key**." The crowd cheered and Patricia continued while the drummer began counting by hitting the drumsticks together, "This is an old song, it's entitled Payphone by Maroon 5, my favorite band. So, I dedicate this song to that **lunkhead** who told me that I sing off-key."

The keyboard started playing and Patricia closed her eyes as she sang, "I'm at a payphone trying to call home, all of my change I've spent on you. Where have the times gone, baby? It's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?"

The beat started and the crowd clapped to the beat, "Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember the people we used to be. It's even harder to picture that you're not here next to me. You say it's too late to make it, but is it too late to try? And then that time that you wasted, all of our bridges burned down."

The memories were flashing before her closed eyes as she swayed her hands to the rhythm and continued, "I've wasted my nights, you turned out the lights. Now I'm paralyzed, still stuck in that time when we called it love, but even the sun sets in paradise."

She remembers the nights when she cried herself to sleep, if sleep would come. She wouldn't deny it—there was a time in her life wherein she felt like she was stuck in a rut. It wasn't mutual love that she had with that guy who told her she sang off-key, it was one-sided love. She loved him. Even until now. She just wishes that her love for him will go away.

"I'm at a payphone trying to call home, all of my change I've spent on you. Where have the times gone, baby? It's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?"

There was no one waiting for her at home. In fact, she doesn't have anything to consider her 'home', even with these very accommodating people in Deimos. This wasn't where her heart desired it to be. Back in the days, she would daydream the 'what ifs' in her love for that man, in the end, she knew it would always be just… just a daydream.

"If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this," Patricia placed her left hand on her right shoulder, as if hugging herself, and continued, "All those fairytales are full of shit.  
One more fucking love song, I'll be sick."

She sang it with so much conviction, the crowd burst into cheers.

"You turned your back on tomorrow, 'cause you forgot yesterday. I gave you my love to borrow, but just gave it away. You can't expect me to be fine. I don't expect you to care. I know I said it before, but all of our bridges burned down."

That's right. He turned his back on tomorrow and forgot his past—he lived in a dream. He tried to find out if he was alive. This was how her world started plummeted downhill. She loved him, but she knows he can't return it. So when they met again, she didn't want him to expect her to be okay, because she really wasn't. She didn't expect him to care, either—but he did. It was a shock to her, but he did. Then again, that was the last time they saw each other, talked to each other. That was when all their bridges burned down. But she didn't give up without a fight. She confessed to him. She was Poker Alice, who had never lost a game. She will definitely not lose on this one.

"I've wasted my nights, you turned out the lights. Now I'm paralyzed, still stuck in that time when we called it love, but even the sun sets in paradise."

This time, the crowd sang with her and the lights danced with her, too, "I'm at a payphone trying to call home, all of my change I've spent on you. Where have the times gone, baby? It's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?"

She could feel the tears in her eyes. This was her song, her song for him. It told the story of her inevitable love, an undying love. "If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this. **All those fairytales are full of shit**," Patricia held her left hand's pointer finger up and went on, "**One more fucking love song, I'll be sick**. Now I'm at a payphone."

The music died down and the crowd was hysterical. Patricia took a moment before she opened her eyes again and grinned as she bowed in front of the crowd, and asked, "So tell me, did I sing off-key?"

The crowd yelled like a big 'NO', something like that.

"Aww, thanks guys. You're great flatterers. Flattery is the best motivation, they say. That ought'a show him!" Patricia placed a hand on her hip and snickered, "I'm very happy that you liked my song. We're down to the last hour of the party. So go on ahead and let's enjoy this night!"

The audience cheered and the band repeated the song _Payphone_ as Patricia stepped down the stage and was greeted by some people, telling her that she was awesome, that she looked fantastic and other whatnots. She can't take in all of their greetings, they were a blur. She nervously smiled and nodded here and there as she tucked some of her stray purple locks behind her ear. She was thinking of **him**—yes, she was thinking of Spike Spiegel.

Patricia proceeded to sit on a stool at the bar area's counter. A man in a beige trench coat and a matching hat was sitting next to her. She doesn't recognize him, though. He had his coat's collar up, hiding his face, while his hat hid his hair. He must be an escort brought in by one of her models, or he must be one of the delegates of one of the companies she's worked with. She shook off that thought—heck, she can't even recognize the majority of the people in her own party. There are dozens of people in the party who are dressed like this man.

"I think I left my chocolate mudslide here," Patricia asked the bartender, "and my purse, too?"

"Yes, you did, Lady Stein. We kept your drink cold for you," the bartender served Patricia the drink Fresca gave her earlier, "And here's your purse."

Patricia took her purse and mouthed the words 'thank you' and flashed a charming smile at the bartender, who returned her a curt nod. She opened her purse and worked her hand inside to get her pills from her medicine organizer. She popped the pills in her mouth and took a big sip from her drink.

There was something about the air, something that made her uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat as she placed one leg over the other. Her eyes narrowed as a sudden rush of memory flashed before her eyes. Memories of **him**. Her breath got caught in her throat and her right hand's fingernails dug on her left hand's palm. She felt the need to cut herself again.

"_No! Don't do this! Not here, not now! Get a hold of yourself!"_ She screamed in her thoughts as she tightly closed her eyes in an attempt to make the flashing memories stop.

She took a sharp inhale and she relaxed. The memories stopped. She remembered to check her left palm to see if she did any damage and thankfully, there was none, just four angry, red, crescent moons on her pale skin.

"_It must be because I took the pills an hour late. Yeah, that might be it."_ She sighed and just took another sip from her drink.

She felt like she was being watched. She just hoped that that person wasn't watching her when she had an unwanted episode earlier. And true enough, someone was watching her. A guy took the empty seat at her right and ordered rum.

"Pleasant evening, Lady Stein," the guy smiled at her, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you very much… Uhh, sorry, do I know you? You don't look like you're from around here." Patricia asked, sounding uninterested though. This guy wants to hit on her, she just knows it. It's not like she didn't have to face situations like this before. Consider her a veteran on this.

"I'm from Mars," the guy smiled, "I'm part of the delegates from the advertising company you've worked with back there sometime last year."

"Ahh, really?" She replied, hoping it would be a conversation ender. But nooooo. This guy was a persistent one.

"Yeah, really," the guy repeated and took a sip from his glass of rum, "I heard we were the only company you worked with back in Mars. And it was just a onetime deal only. You never worked with us again and I heard that you always refused offers from Mars."

"How do I put this?" Patricia watched the droplets forming outside her glass as they roll down to the base, "I'm not very comfortable in Mars…or Martians, for that matter. I hope you're not offended, it's just the way I am."

"Of course not, Lady Stein!" The guy replied, "I understand. You were born and raised in Deimos, a far more exclusive and privileged place than Mars. Mars is quite a messy place, whereas Deimos is a peaceful paradise. It's a perfect society! I think I might be having that Deimos Swing. I think I want to live here."

The guy nervously laughed and Patricia just smirked. Flattery. Well, she was immune to this kind of flattery. It's the kind that she won't allow for herself. She's now a refined woman and she's aware of that—no need to rub it on her face.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" The guy asked, "I mean, with beauty like that, any man would be at your feet. I'm sure you can have any guy you want."

"Thank you for your kind words," Patricia replied as she played with her drink's straw and swirled the liquid in the glass, "No, I don't have a boyfriend."

"So are you dating anyone?"

"No."

"Then if I may be given the chance, Lady Stein, may I take you out on a date?" The guy blushed.

Patricia sighed and made eye contact with the guy, "Not a chance."

"W-w-what?" The guy's jaw dropped, "W-why—why not? I-I-I mean, if it's necessary for you to know this, Lady Stein, and not so much as to brag, but I think I'm quite the man. I was born from a well-off family in Mars, I am a master's degree holder in business administration, I currently have a junior executive level job post in an advertising company, I have my own house, my own car, and my own zip craft, I am also a philanthropist, and I think I'm good-looking enough—"

"Yes sir, I think you are quite the fine man that you say you are. But I could actually care less of your educational attainment, social status, or of your economic standing, I'm not interested in you, period. Sorry. It's a waste of time. You should know better, I'm a busy woman," Patricia raised her index finger up and reiterated, "—**very** busy woman. I do not have time to do such a **whimsical** social thing called 'dating'." And she rolled her eyes to match what she was saying.

"Then you must like somebody, eh?"

Patricia stood up and told him, "I hate to say this, but you're invading my privacy. I don't even know you."

"Oh, my n-name is—!"

"I'd rather not know. Sorry." Patricia spoke as she walked away, "Fine man that you are, I would still dump you for not having any humility at all."

"Hard luck, eh?" the man in a trench coat told the guy from Mars.

"So rumors are true, she is an untouchable goddess," the rejected guy sighed in defeat, "If she likes anyone, my praises to him. He's one hell of a lucky guy."

It wasn't long before the party was over and the people were saying goodbyes to Patricia, who was at the exhibit area, beside her most famous photograph. The people who were left in the function hall were the busy waiters and waitresses cleaning up the banquet area; Ana—who was finishing up on her drink at the bar area, with a few more men in there, too; the guy in a trench coat—who looks like he was having a look at the exhibit area; the rejected 'Martian'—who looked pretty drunk and was being escorted out by his two friends, and the live band—who were now in front of Patricia and saying their farewells to her, with the vocalist kissing the hand of the celebrant.

"NOBODY MOVES!"

There were shouts, sounds of shattering glasses, and what sounded like a gun being raised and loaded.

_(To be continued…)_

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_**A/N:**_ Cliffhanger! I'm so evil! Hahahaha! But I'm just building up the suspense for the next and final chapter. It will be a very long one, I tell you. Nevertheless, I think it's a work that I should be and am proud of. Currently, I'm trying to polish the plot of a possible new multi-chaptered CB fanfic. I've written bits and bits of it. I just hope I can patch the plot up together. But as they say, much like the creators of Cowboy Bebop, everything's jazz. Just let it flow the way it wants to go.

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_**DISCLAIMER:**_I don't own Cowboy Bebop. I don't own its song _Call Me, Call Me _by Steve Conte, and I also don't own the song _Payphone_ by Maroon 5. The mentioned series and songs rightfully belong to their respective creators.

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**Show me some love, people! Review!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


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